Akufo-Addo's free SHS needs to be properly structured - Sheikh Aramiyawo Shaibu

Government needs to structure a planned roll out of free secondary education in Ghana in order to maintain the quality of education in the country, the Regional manager of the Islamic Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service, Sheikh Aramiyawo Shaibu has stated.

According to Sheikh Shaibu, the high tendency for the existing quality of education in the country to be compromised makes it imperative for government to implement the exercise in phases.

Sheikh Aramiyawo Shaibu adds that the Akufo-Addo-led administration ought to have consulted experts in the educational sector for an input on the best way of rolling-out the NPP's much talked about Free SHS programme with emphasis on the short, medium and long term implications.

He is however optimistic that government will make the needed funds available to see through the implementation of free secondary education in Ghana.

'I have a certain feeling that the present government is very confident that there is money to be funded but the quality of education must be looked at', he stated.

President Akufo-Addo during a ceremony at Okuapeman Senior High School announced that the free SHS policy will take effect in the next academic year starting September 2017.

Though lauded by many, some critics believe the policy may be difficult to implement given the timing and the financial difficulty the country finds itself in. Despite the concerns however, government is optimistic of seeing through the exercise.