CODE OF ETHICS for PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers

Ø  adopted and promulgated by the Board for Professional Teachers through Board Resolution No. 435, series of 1997, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (e), Article II of RA No. 7836, otherwise known as the “Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994”

THE PREAMBLE

Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and  reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence. In the practice of their noble profession, the strictly adhere to observe and practice this set of ethical and  moral principles, standards and values.

                       Code of Ethics For Professional  Teachers

               Resolution No. 435   Series 1997

Article II RA No. 7836 – Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act 1994, par. (a) Section 6 PD No. 223 as amended.

Art. I – Scope and Limitations

Sec. 1

Ø  This code shall apply to ALL TEACHERS in schools in the Philippines.

Sec. 2

Ø   Covers ALL PUBLIC and PRIVATE school TEACHERS in all educational institution at the pre-school, primary, elementary, and secondary levels whether academic, vocational, special, technical, or non-formal. “Teacher”-industrial arts or vocational teachers and all other persons performing SUPERVISORY and/or ADMINISTRATIVE functions in all school, whether on full time or part time basis.

Art. II - The Teacher and the State

Sec. 1

Ø  The schools are the nurseries of the future citizens of the state; each teacher is a trustee of the cultural and educational heritage of the nation and is under obligation to transmit to learners such heritage as well as to elevate national morality, promote national pride, cultivate love of country, instil allegiance to the constitution and for all duly constituted authorities, and promote obedience to the laws of the state.

Sec. 2

Ø   Every teacher or school official shall actively help carry out the declared policies of the state, and shall take an oath to this effect.

Sec.3

Ø  In the interest of the State and of the Filipino people as much as of his own, every teacher shall be physically, mentally and morally fit.

Sec.4

Ø  Every teacher shall possess and actualize a full commitment and devotion to duty.

Sec.5

Ø  A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of any political, religious, or other partisan interest, and shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, require, collect, or receive any money or service or other valuable material from any person or entity for such purposes.

Sec.6.

Ø  Every teacher shall vote and shall exercise all other constitutional rights and responsibility.

Sec.7

Ø  A teacher shall not use his position or official authority or influence to coerce any other person to follow any political course of action.

Sec.8

Ø  Every teacher shall enjoy academic freedom and shall have privilege of expounding the product of his researches and investigations; provided that, if the results are inimical to the declared policies of the State, they shall be brought to the proper authorities for appropriate remedial action.

Art. III – The Teacher and the Community

Sec. 1

Ø  A teacher is a facilitator of learning and of the development of the youth; render the best service by providing an environment conducive to such learning and growth.

Sec.2

Ø  Every teacher shall provide leadership and initiative to actively participate in community movements for moral, social, educational, economic and civic betterment.

Sec.3

Ø  Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he shall behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling, smoking, drunkenness, and other excesses, much less illicit relations.

Sec. 4

Ø  Every teacher shall study and understand local customs and traditions in order to have sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from disparaging the community.

Sec.5

Ø  Every teacher shall help the school keep the people in the community informed about the schools work and accomplishments as well as its needs and problems.

Sec.6

Ø  Every teacher is intellectual leader in the community and shall welcome the opportunity to provide such leadership when needed, to extend counseling services and to actively be involved in matters affecting the welfare of the people.

Sec.7

Ø  Every teacher shall maintain harmonious and pleasant personal and official relations with other professionals, with government officials, and with the people, individually or collectively.

Sec.8

Ø  A teacher posses freedom to attend church and worships as appropriate, but shall not use his positions and influence to proselyte others.

Art. IV – The Teacher and The Profession

Sec.1

Ø  Every teacher shall actively insure that teaching is the noblest profession, and shall manifest genuine enthusiasm and pride in teaching as a noble calling.

Sec.2

Ø   Every teacher shall uphold the highest possible standards of quality education, shall make the best preparations for the career of teaching, and shall be at his best at all times and in the practice of his profession.

Sec.3

Ø  Every teacher shall participate in the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program of the Professional Regulation Commission, and shall pursue such other studies as will improve his efficiency, enhance the prestige of the profession, and strengthen his competence, virtues, and productivity in order to be nationally and internationally competitive.

Sec.4

Ø  Every teacher shall help, if duly authorized, to seek support from the school, but shall not make improper misrepresentations through personal advertisements and other questionable means.

Sec.5

Ø  Every teacher shall use the teaching profession in a manner that makes it dignified means for earning a decent living.

Art. V – The Teacher and the Teaching Community

Sec.1

Ø  Professional loyalty, mutual confidence, and faith in one another, self-sacrifice for the common good, and full cooperation with colleagues.  Support one another.

Sec.2

Ø  A teacher is not entitled to claim credit or work not of his own, and shall give due credit for the work of others which he may use.

Sec.3

Ø  …organize and leave to his successor such records and other data as are necessary to carry on the work before leaving.

Sec.4

Ø  …shall keep confidential information concerning associates and the school, and shall not divulge to anyone documents which has not been officially released, or remove records from files without official permission.

Sec.5

Ø  seek correctives for what may appear to be an unprofessional and unethical conduct of any associate. However, if there is incontrovertible evidence for such conduct.

Sec.6

Ø  …submit to the proper authorities any justifiable criticism against an associate, preferably in writing, without violating any right of the individual concerned.

Sec.7

Ø  …may apply for a vacant position for which he is qualified, provided that he respects the system of selection on the basis of merit and competence,  provided, further, that all qualified candidates are given the opportunity to be considered.

Art. VI – The Teacher and Higher Authorities in the

               Profession

Sec.1

Ø  …make an honest effort to understand and support the legitimate policies of the school and the administration regardless of personal feeling or private opinion and shall faithfully carry them out.

Sec.2

Ø  …shall not make any false accusations or charges against superiors, especially under anonymity. However, if there are valid charges, he should present such under oath to competent authority.

Sec.3

Ø  …transact all official business through channels except when special conditions warrant a different procedure.

Sec.4

Ø  …has a right to seek redress against injustice to the administration and …shall raise grievances within acceptable democratic processes. …shall avoid jeopardizing the interest and the welfare of learners whose right to learn must be respected.

Sec.5

Ø  …right to invoke the principle that appointments, promotions, and transfer of teachers are made only on the basis of merit and needed in the interest of the service.

Sec.6

Ø   A teacher who accepts a position assumes a contractual obligation to live up to his contract, assuming full knowledge of employment terms and conditions.

Art. VII - School Officials, Teachers, and Other Personnel

Sec. 1

Ø  All school officials shall at all times show professional courtesy, helpfulness and sympathy towards teachers and other personnel, such practices being standards of effective school supervision, dignified administration, responsible leadership and enlightened directions.

Sec. 2

Ø  …cooperative responsibility to formulate policies or introduce important changes in the system at all levels.

Sec. 3

Ø  School officials shall encourage and attend the professional growth of all teachers… recommend them for promotion, giving them due recognition for meritorious performance, and allowing them to participate in conferences in training programs.

Sec. 4

Ø  No school officials shall dismiss or recommend for dismissal a teacher or other subordinates except for cause.

Sec. 5

Ø  School authorities concern shall ensure that public school teachers are employed in accordance with pertinent civil service rules, and private school teachers are issued contracts specifying the terms and conditions of their work; provided that they are given, if qualified, subsequent permanent tenure, in accordance with existing laws.

Art. VIII –The Teacher and the Learners

Sec. 1

Ø  A teacher has a right and duty to determine the academic marks and the promotion of learners in the subject they handle.

Sec. 2

Ø  …interest and welfare of learners are of first and foremost concern, and shall deal justifiably and impartially with each of them.

Sec. 3

Ø  Under no circumstance shall a teacher be prejudiced or discriminate against a learner.

Sec. 4

Ø  A teacher shall not accept favors or gifts from learners, their parents or others in their behalf in exchange for requested concessions, especially if undeserved.

Sec. 6

Ø  A teacher shall base the evaluation of the learner’s work on merit and quality of academic performance.

Sec. 7

Ø  In a situation where mutual attraction and subsequent love develop between teacher and learner, the teacher shall exercise utmost professional discretion to avoid scandal, gossip and preferential treatment of the learner.

Art. IX –The Teachers and Parents

Sec. 1

Ø  …establish and maintain cordial relations with parents, and shall conduct himself to merit their confidence and respect.

Sec. 2

Ø  …shall inform parents, through proper authorities, of the progress and deficiencies of learner under him, exercising utmost candor and tact in pointing out the learner's deficiencies…

Sec. 3

Ø  A teacher shall hear parent complaints with sympathy and understanding, and shall discourage unfair criticism.

Art. X- The Teacher & the Business

Sec. 1

Ø  A teacher has the right to engage, directly or indirectly, in legitimate income generation; provided that it does not relate to or adversely affect his work as a teacher.

Sec. 2

Ø  A teacher shall maintain a good reputation with respect to the financial matters such as in the settlement of his debts and loans in arranging satisfactorily his private financial affairs.

Sec. 3

Ø  No teacher shall act, directly or indirectly, as agent of, or be financially interested in, any commercial venture which furnish textbooks and other school commodities in the purchase and disposal of which he can exercise official influence, except only when his assignment is inherently, related to such purchase and disposal; provided they shall be in accordance with the existing regulations; provided, further, that members of duly recognized teachers cooperatives may participate in the distribution and sale of such commodities.

Art. XII- Disciplinary Actions

Sec. 1

Ø  Any violation of any provision of this code shall be sufficient ground for the imposition against the erring teacher of the disciplinary action consisting of revocation of his Certification of Registration and License as a Professional Teacher, suspension from the practice of teaching profession, or reprimand or cancellation of his temporary/special permit under causes specified in Sec. 23, Article III or R.A. No. 7836, and under Rule 31, Article VIII, of the Rules and Regulations Implementing R.A. 7836.

R. A 4670
Magna Carta For Public School Teachers

Teacher"

   -shall mean all persons engaged in classroom teaching, in any level of instruction, on full-time basis, including guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational instructors, and all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools, colleges and universities operated by the Government or its political subdivisions; but shall not include school nurses, school physicians, school dentists, and other school employees.

Scope

Ø  Shall apply to all public school teachers except those in the professorial staff of state colleges and universities.

Teaching Hours

v  6 hours-actual classroom teaching per day

Salary Scale

v  Salary scales of teachers shall provide for a gradual progression from a minimum to a maximum salary by means of regular increments, granted automatically after three years.

LEAVE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS
(Section 24,25, & 26)

INDEFINITE LEAVE

v  shall be granted to teachers when the nature of the illness demands a long treatment that will exceed one year at the least.

STUDY LEAVE

v  Teachers who have at least seven (7) years of continuous service are entitled to study leave of absence with pay not exceeding one (1) school year subject to approval of the Head of Office.

SALARY INCREASE UPON RETIREMENT

v  Public school teachers having fulfilled the age and service requirements of the applicable retirement laws shall be given one range salary raise upon retirement, which shall be the basis of the computation of the lump sum of the retirement pay and the monthly benefits thereafter.

References/Bibliography

Website

1.http://www.slideshare.net/JohnBernal2/code-of-ethics-for-professional-teachers-of-the-philippines

2.http://www.slideshare.net/JohnBernal2/code-of-ethics-for-professional-teachers-of-the-philippines

Multimedia

Powerpoint Presentation

Civil Service Commission (2012).  Continuous Educational Course for Teachers