A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Akilagpa Sawyerr, says the manner in which the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy is being implemented is unintelligent.

According to him, although the policy has been very beneficial, it is an expenditure the government cannot afford, yet it continues to fund it.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Sages on June 22, he explained to the Host, Raymond Acquah, that while the policy appears to be objective, it benefits individuals who can afford to pay fees for their children, whereas other school children are still seated under trees.

In this regard, he stressed that the policy does not make sense.

“The notion of free education is a laudable one. But the pursuit of that objective, without costing, without working out the lines of movement, without working out the impact on other parts of the economy very carefully, for me, it's a failure of policy, not the objective.

“The notion that any child under this system could go to a boarding school and get free food, free everything when there are other students, younger students under trees, how does that make sense? I can afford to pay for my children, boarding and so on.

"If I can afford to pay, why do you give me that concession when the budget that you use for that could support people who don't have the basic desks to sit on?" he quizzed.

The academic advised that for the policy to benefit the state it must be tailored to meet the needs of individuals who could not afford education.

He emphasised that "A blanket free education for everybody when you can afford it, not only for me, is hard policy, it's just unintelligent to put it bluntly.”

Professor Sawyerr also said it was even more appalling since no government official can defend the programme.

"And for me, the worry is that I have not heard any intelligent defence of the Free SHS in this, “he added.