Teachers’ Professional Code Of Conduct

After the publication of a previous article, Teachers’ Professional Exams (The Tide newspaper, Friday, October 18, 2019), a reader demanded to know if there is a professional code of practice for Nigerian teachers.
Although answers and directions were given to the inquirer, it is necessary to make the information available to the reading public. It is also necessary to say that Nigeria is not a reading society, culture of reading, including reading of newspapers.
Yes, a code of professional ethics exists for educators, including journalists too. For the professional teacher, better known as the educator, the code is drived from what is commonly known as the Learner-Centred doctrine, of which there are two parts, namely: commitment to the learner and commitment to the profession.
The educator’s roles include helping the learner to realise his potentials to an optional level, as a worthy and effective member of society.
This would include stimulating the culture of inquiry, the pursuit of knowledge not for the sake of money, but for a thoughtful formulation of worthy goals in life. The fulfilment of these noble roles and obligations to the learner demands the followings from the educator:
Giving the learner a free hand and independent action in the pursuit of knowledge; giving the learner access to various points of views and not deliberately suppressing or distorting the subject matter relevant to the learner’s progress; making all reasonable efforts to protect the learner from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety, not intentionally exposing the learner to embarrassment or disparagement; avoidance of discrimination towards the learner based on race, colour, creed, sex, national origin, marital status, political or religious beliefs, social or cultural backgrounds or sexual orientations.
These would include not unfairly excluding any learner from participating in any program or deny benefits to any learner, by granting special advantage to any while denying same to another. Non-use of professional relationships with learners for private gains and non-disclosure of information obtained in the course of professional services, unless such disclosure serves compelling professional purposes or is required by law.
With regards to commitment to the profession, the educator is to uphold the ideal of public trust and responsibility, demanding the highest professional service. The quality of services of the profession which directly influences the learner, demands that the educator strives to raise the standard of education as well as provide a healthy climate for effective learning.
Professional conduct and judgment should be such that would attract people worthy of trust into the career of teaching.
In fulfilment of such obligations, the educator should not make false statements about his qualifications or competence in his application for a teaching job. Neither should he assist entry into the profession of a person known to be unqualified in respect of character, education or other attributes.
The professional educator should not disclose information about colleagues or students obtained in the course of professional services, unless such disclosure serves compelling professional purposes, or is required by law.
Vital in the professional code of conduct for the teacher is the requirement of not knowingly making any false or malicious statement about colleagues. Thus, the principle of collegiality does stipulate internal discipline among a work force, such that efficient team work can be enhanced.
Efficiency in teaching as a profession places emphasis on co-operation, motivation and commitment to service.
However, there has been a lingering controversy whether or not teaching is a career or a profession.
Establishment of Teachers Registration Council has the purpose of professionalising the career of teaching, demanding that teachers be registered. Apart from the initiative by the Federal Government of subjecting teachers to a professional examination, there is also a nationwide move that all those engaged in teaching, up to university level, should have some professional training in education.
What will follow the registration of professional teachers would be the licensing of professional educators.
Like in journalism, there are freelance practitioners in teaching jobs whose names are not in the Registers of the respective Councils. There are old, recognised and closed professions such as Law, Medicine, etc.
A layman would not perform surgery or defend an accused person in court, but anybody can write and teach without anyone asking for your licence to do so. Quite soon, there would be protective guilds and litigations on who does what and why. So far, charlatans can do a number of things and get away with their claims, but that may stop soon.
This is moreso because political gamblers, jobbers and gangsterists have done this country grievous and incalculable harms. Education is a noble profession which includes those who write, speak, etc, for the purpose of the masses. Politics, as an instrument of large-scale piloting of human affairs, cannot be a game of groups of gangsters who use money, shenanigans and brute force to control the fate of a nation.
A rebuilding and cleansing process which is an on-going global movement would root out charlatans, hustlers, gamblers and gangsters in every field of human endeavours. We shall be free from those who hold humanity hostage by force.

Bright Amirize