Free SHS will collapse secondary education – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Former Deputy Minister of Education is predicting the collapse of the free Senior High School (SHS) policy to be rolled out by the Akufo-Addo led government next month.
According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, there is not enough funds to sustain the programme even for a year.
Questions have been raised about the source and sustainability of funding for the ambitious programme which will see government absorbing school fees for all secondary school students eligible for the programme.
Even before the policy is rolled out, one of the NPP’s leading members and former Defense Minister Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor is urging caution in the implementation.
However, Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has allied their fears insisting that they are not oblivious of the obstacles ahead with the implementation of the free SHS policy.
He reiterated the Akufo-Addo administration’s determination to roll out the governing party’s campaign policy in September 2017.
But on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was skeptical about the viability of the policy.
“Important factors such as the provision of classroom blocks and dormitories to house the students has all not been provided, yet the NPP is making noise of introducing free SHS” he said.
The former deputy Education Minister in the erstwhile Mahama administration indicated that, because government has not put the necessary framework in place, secondary education like the basic will rather collapse.
“Very soon private secondary school will be preferred to the public schools because of this policy. Government has not put the necessary measures to make it work” he stressed.
The North Tongu Member of Parliament urged caution in the implementation of the policy stating that per this announcement enrollment is likely to shoot up.
“There is a report that says we should begin to target rather than this wholistic approach in providing free education. I think this is the time to look at those studies dispassionately and objectively, because I think it is a very sensible argument.”
Okudzeto Ablakwa advised parents to plan ahead to safeguard to future of their wards should the free SHS fail.