THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR

PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers 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”

VIOLATION OF CODE OF ETHICSFOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

Article XII, Section 1--

“Any violation shall be sufficient ground for the revocation of license”

TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS

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, they strictly adhere to observe, and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standard and values.

(Preamble, Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers)

“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.”

(Code of Ethics, Article III, Section 3)

“A teacher shall place premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the principle of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.”

(Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 2)

“A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as model worthy of emulation by learners, peers, and others.”

(Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 3)

To strictly honor contractual obligation with the School

Art. VI, Sec. 6, Code of Ethics:

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

TO ACT WITH HONOR:

As an EDUCATOR

1987 Constitution states:

“The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.”

(Article XIV, Section 1)

DUTY OF TEACHERS(Based on Law)

As a PARENT

Article 218 of the Family Code provides—“The school, its administrators and

teachers, x x x engaged in child care shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody.”

Article 219 of the Family Code provides—“Those given the authority and

responsibility under (Article 218) shall principally and solidarily liable for damages caused by acts or omissions of the unemancipated minor.”

What is QUALITY EDUCATION?

Principal Duty or Obligation is To Ensure “Quality Education”

“making sure that basic education is really solid, because if it is not solid, it affects the quality of secondary education. If secondary education is poor, then the person goes to college unprepared for college work. And if he is allowed to graduate again with a poor quality college education, he goes to university professional education even more unprepared.”

- Rev. Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ

In short—

“A school, before promoting or graduating a student, must be sure that he/she (the student) is functionally literate to go through next higher level.”

To ensure Quality Education:

1) Must be COMPETENT and EFFICIENT

Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, Article IV, Section 2—

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

BP 232 (Education Act of 1982), Section 16 (2) provides—

“The teacher shall be accountable for efficient and effective attainment of specified learning objectives.”

Code of Ethics further mandates that—

“Every teacher shall participate in the continuing professional education (CPE) program of the PRC, and shall pursue such other studies as will improve his efficiency, enhance the prestige of the profession, and strengthen his competence, virtue and productivity in order to be nationally and internationally competitive.”

(Article IV, Section 3)

“A teacher shall ensure that conditions contributive to the maximum development of learners are adequate and shall extend assistance in preventing or solving learners’ problems and difficulties.”(Article IV, Section 3)

In short—

A teacher is expected to be efficient and competent in the performance of his academic duties at all times.

Otherwise,A teacher who has consistently shows his

inability to efficiently perform his duties and responsibilities, within a common performance standards should not be allowed to stay in school.

The MRPS provides as just cause of terminating a faculty—

“Gross inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of his duties ”

(Section 3 (a))

Hence,

“schools can set high standards of efficiency

for its teachers since quality education is a

mandate of the Constitution.

Security of tenure cannot be used to shield

incompetence.”

2) Must EVALUATE LEARNERS

(i) Duty to give grades/evaluation

“Render regular reports on performance of each student and to the latter and to the latter’s parents and guardians with specific suggestions for improvement.”

Section 16(3) of BP 232, TEACHER SHALL—

and...Must promptly render or give

grades. Otherwise, the unjustified or unreasonable delay in giving grades constitutes gross neglect of duty.

THUS…..

“It is the contractual obligation of the school (through the teachers) to TIMELY INFORM AND FURNISH sufficient notice and information to each and every student as to whether he/she had already complied with all the requirements.”

“The negligent act of a teacher who fails to observe the rules of the school, for instance, by not promptly submitting a student’s grade is not only imputable to the teacher but is an act of the school being his/her employer.”

In evaluating/giving grades the following rules of conduct must be observed—

Code of Ethics provides—

“A teacher has the duty to determine the academic marks and the promotion of learners in the subject they handle. Such determination shall be in accordance with generally accepted procedure of evaluation and measurement on case of any complaint, teachers concerned shall immediately take appropriate action, observing the process.”

(Article VIII, Section 1)

“Under no circumstances shall a teacher be prejudiced nor discriminatory against any learner.”

(Article VIII, Section 3)

“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.”

(Article VIII, Section 4)

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

(Article VIII, Section 6)

(i) In computing the grades

Section 16 (5) of BP 232 mandates that a teacher shall—

“Refrain from making deductions or additions in student’s scholastic ratings for acts that are clearly not manifestations of scholarship.”

Hence, Section 79 of the MRPS—

“Basis for Grading. – The grade or rating in a student should be based SOLELY on his scholastic performance. Any addition or diminution to the grade in a subject for co-curricular activities, attendance, or misconduct shall NOT be allowed.”

Code of Ethics provides—

“A teacher shall not make deductions from their scholastic ratings as a punishment for acts which are clearly not manifestations of poor scholarship.”

(Article VIII, Section 8)

Thus, it is not a matter of discretion on the part of the teachers in the giving of the students’ grades, but rather it is a clear obligation for the teachers to determine student academic marks solely based on scholastic performance. For a teacher to do otherwise, would be serious academic malpractice or grave misconduct in the performance of his/her duties.

“The Supreme Court is convinced that the pressure and influence exerted by (a teacher) on his colleague to change a failing grade to passing one constitute serious misconduct which is a valid ground for dismissing an employee.”

B. As a PARENT: Principal Duty to Exercise Parental Authority and Responsibility

Article 218, Family Code provides—

“The school, its administrators and teachers engaged in child care shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody.”

“A teacher shall recognize that the interest and welfare of learners are his first and foremost concern, and shall handle each learner justly and impartially.”

(Article VII, Section 2)

Code of Ethics states—

Parental Authority to Discipline

“As parents, the teachers shall use discipline not to punish but to correct, not to force, but to motivate; and not to obey with rigid cadence, but to choose to follow the right way.

Hence, teachers cannot generally use methods of punishing or such degree of penalties that a good mother or a good father would not likely use on her/his own children.”

Corporal Punishment - Article 233 (2nd par.)

“In no case inflict corporal punishment upon the child.”

Definition: An act that inflict pain or harm upon a child’s body as punishment for wrong doing usually through beating and spanking

Elements: a. physical contact b. inflict pain

VIII, 8. A teacher shall not inflict corporal punishment on offending learners nor make deductions from their scholastic ratings as a punishment for acts which are clearly not manifestations of poor scholarship.

Sale of Tickets; Collection of Contribution/ Donations from Pupils / Parents

BP 232, Sec. 9 (9) - students have right to be free from (voluntary) involuntary contributions Improper or unauthorized

solicitation of contributions from subordinate employees and by teachers or school officials from school children

VIII, 5. A teacher shall not accept, directly or indirectly, any remuneration from tutorials other than what is authorized for such service.

“(Department of Education) considers the act of teachers in xxx contracting loans from parents of their students xxx not only serious misconduct but xxx violation of students’ right to be free from involuntary contribution.”

- USEC Nachura, 13 Feb. ‘98

Parental Responsibility

The student / pupil while in school, is in the custody and hence, the responsibility of the school authorities as long as he is under the control and influence of the school, whether the semester has not yet begun or has already ended.

Even if the student is just relaxing in the campus in the company of his classmates, the student is still within the custody and subject to the discipline and responsibility of the teachers.

Hence--

A teacher required to exercise special parental authority but who fails to observe all the diligence of a good father of a family in the custody and care of the pupils and students, shall be held liable for gross neglect of duty.

IN SUM….

Teaching is indeed a noble, if not the noblest profession.

Teachers are called not only to teach by words but by their very life, examples and being

Teachers as role models of their students must exemplify and uphold ethical and moral principles in their lives as persons and as teachers

‘What the teacher is, is more important than what he

teaches’. ~Karl Menninger

BE PROUD YOU ARE TEACHERS! BE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS!

END