Big switch to free secondary education should be easy

I am delighted to hear there are plans to introduce free secondary education, and the project could take off as early as next year.

The remaining three months are more than enough to roll things out.

Why, there is no need for endless talking; the best thing is to just do it. Lessons will be picked along the way and implemented in future programmes.

In any case, the Government is always blamed for dragging its feet, so let them be.

But free secondary education should serve another crucial need: It should be a useful distraction when questions are raised over free primary education.

There have been widespread claims of over-population in public school and mass exodus to so-called private schools.

And since we like to let things happen and deal with the consequences afterwards, we don't have to worry about improving overall school infrastructure before we can make the big switch.

History has taught us that townships can emerge out of nothing and become so crowded that even the worst hovel will fetch some decent rent.

Then we can deal with mundane issues of power and water and sewer lines. Our education must be allowed to take a similar growth trajectory.