Sometimes I think it’s a miracle that we manage to come out of the Ghanaian education system unscathed. It’s littered with so many pitfalls that from day one conspire to give you the least quality education available.

Teachers are a big part of the education system, an indispensable part even. Yet the prominence of the sector and teachers as the caretakers of that sector does not equate to decent conditions of service for them as a body.

This has led to some apathetic behaviour towards their work from some teachers, particularly in the public school system. Absenteeism is not an uncommon occurrence, and the structure of the public service in Ghana means there is little to no supervision thus virtually no accountability.

In a renewed effort to tackle this and several other problems plaguing the sector, the National Teaching Council of the Ministry of Education has announced plans to have teachers be licensed before being able to teach, beginning from next year.

The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Augustine Tawiah, said teachers would be issued a 14 digit identity card to be renewed at regular intervals.

He also said the council plans to enforce policy on ethical and professional standards, and advise the sector minister accordingly.

One can say something is being at least, but talk is cheap. To enforce ethical policies require willpower on the part of those in charge for the measure to work across board. And I fail to see how licensing would solve the problem of teacher apathy, and whether it would be enforceable in the private sector.

A big chunk of National Service personnel each year are sent to teach, to plug the shortfall of teachers across the country. How does this policy address that? As well as the phenomenon of pupil teaching that’s rife amongst private schools.

Licensing professionals is so basic we have to wonder why it’s now being done. But as a panacea to the problems plaguing education in Ghana this measure remains woefully inadequate.