A lecturer with the Cape Coast University says president John Mahama's proposed policies on education are innovative but must be brought within the broader context of Ghana's education system.

Dr Mike Boakye Yiadom said the government needs to do a thorough stakeholder consultation if the ambitious plans rolled out by the president during his manifesto highlight on education will materialize.

President John Mahama on Tuesday provided a cursory outline of the 100-page manifesto that will be launched by the party on Saturday.

Education, which falls under Putting people first, one of the four thematic areas of the governing party's manifesto, received some prominence in the president's highlight address.

The president, among other things promised to pilot a tablet, per student policy at the basic high school level.

"In basic education our commitment will be to establish colleges of education for the sole purpose of training teachers in early childhood care and development.

"By 2021 we would have eliminated all schools under trees. We are going to pilot the use of electronic textbooks at the JHS and secondary level. Students will receive tablets that have their core textbooks on the table. If this pilot is successful then we shall expand it across the whole school system.

The president also promised to complete the 200 Community SHS during his second term.

In a reaction on Joy Midday news, Dr Boakye Yiadom said while some of these proposal are innovative they must be aligned to Ghana's broader educational framework.

For instance, he said, per the current regulations in the basic and SHS education, students are not permitted to use any form of electronic gadgets like tablets and smart phones. 

"I want to see the maintenance plan for these electronic text books. These textbooks will run on electricity. There will be the need for internet. To what extent do our schools, communities within the nation, rural areas especially have been upgraded to  make sure that these textbooks are operational?" he asked.

"These are some innovation in education but if we do not look at them within our context, then i am sure we will have problems," he said.

Dr Boakye Yiadom called for better training of teachers and students on how these gadgets will be used before the policy will be implemented.

"We can't have e-books, provision of new schools and all that in a vacuum. They work in collaboration with other resources, ie. human resources, school leadership and all that.

We need to enhance the management and supervisory practices in our schools, he added.