TEACHER CODES OF CONDUCT - Countries without...

IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education

QUESTIONNAIRE ON CODES OF CONDUCT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS (COUNTRIES WITHOUT CODE)

In order to know more about the mechanisms of the development and implementation of codes of conduct for primary school

teachers, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) has decided to conduct a survey on 25 countries,

within their Ministries of Education, teacher training institutes, professional organizations and teacher unions and parent-

teacher associations. These « codes of conduct » (or codes of ethics or behaviour) are the name given to documents that

formulate ethical principles, and rules for good behaviour that apply to the teaching profession.

If such a code does not exist in your country, we would be grateful if you could duly complete the questionnaire found below. If a code does exist, please refer to the second questionnaire that was sent to you.

Please note that no nominative use of your answers will be made. It is therefore important that your answers be sincere.

We thank you in advance for returning the questionnaire duly completed before 28 January 2009, by e-mail

([email protected]) or by fax (+33-1.40.72.83.66). You can contact us by phone for any question you might have

(+33-1.45.03.77.95).

Signed: Muriel Poisson, Program Specialist, IIEP-UNESCO

TICK THE BOX CORRESPONDING TO YOUR ANSWER

1 Does a code of conduct or ethical code for teachers exist in your country?

(only one answer possible)

Yes please fill in the second questionnaire

No, as far as I know proceed to question 2

2 Are there any other documents (laws, regulations, directives) to regulate teachers’ conduct?

(one answer possible)

Yes

No

If yes, specify the nature of these documents:

3 In your opinion, what is a good teacher?

(Classify by order of priority, from 1 to 6 – avoid ties! 1 = most important; 6 = less important)

A teacher who has sound knowledge

A teacher with good teaching capacity

A teacher who is self-critical

A teacher who respects colleagues and students

A teacher who treats students in a fair manner

A teacher who has good capacity for managing

4 What is your opinion of the following attitudes of a teacher?

(one answer maximum per line)

acceptable not

acceptable

not at all

acceptable

Lies about qualifications/diplomas

Is absent without justification

Goes to work under the influence of alcohol (or on drugs)

Favours/disadvantages certain students

Has sexual relations with a student

Is physically violent with a student

Uses harassment with a student

Collects illegal fees from students

Diverts school funding

Offers private tutoring to students

Steals school equipment

Disseminates confidential information

Takes advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Gives money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Uses teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction

5 For which category of people should a code be intended?


Teachers in general

Primary schoolteachers

Secondary school teachers

Teachers of higher education

Members of a teacher college or commission (professional organization)

Members of a teacher union

Civil servants of the education sector

Inspectors

Civil servants (other than national education)

6 Who should take the initiative to develop a code of conduct for teachers in your country?

(only one answer possible and proceed to question 8)

Yes No

Anti-corruption commission

National public authorities

Regional/ local public authorities

Teacher training institute

Teacher college or commission (professional organization)

Teacher union

Schools If yes, go to question 7

Civil society organizations (NGOs)

GUIDE

1. After having opened the questionnaire, save the file under your documents (in the menu « File », click on “Save as”). 2. Save your modifications regularly (in the menu « File », click on “Save as”).


7 When it is schools that take the initiative to develop a code, who among the following actors should take a major role?

Yes No If yes, should women be involved?

Yes No

Headteacher

School board/council

Teachers

Parents

Students

Local community


8 In your opinion, should the development of a code favour the initiation of the following activities?


Yes No

Creation of a national commission

Constitution of a group of experts

Analysis of already existing codes

Conduct of case studies/surveys

Telephone interviews

Organization of workshops with teachers

Organization of meetings in the schools

Consultation with teacher union

Organization of public forums

Dissemination of the first version of the code

Other. Specify:

9 In your opinion, which actors should be involved in the development of a code of conduct?

(one answer maximum per line and proceed to question 11)

Yes No






Teachers union

Individual teachers


Women’s organization

Civil society organization (NGOs)

10 If schools participate in the development of a code, how would you conceive the involvement of the following actors?


very

important

important not very

important

not at all

important

Headteacher


Teachers

Parents

Students

11 According to you, which actors should be involved at each of the following stages of the development of a code?

(for each actor, tick the case of the stage where he/she should be involved: several answers possible per line)

draft discussion finalization adoption no implication





Teacher college or commission (professional

organization)

Teacher unions

Teachers or groups of teachers

Parents

Students

Womens’ organizations


12 In your opinion, what should be the length of time between the development process of a code and its adoption?


Less than six months

Between six months and a year

Between one and two years

Between two and three years

More than three years


13 In your opinion, are the following actors likely to play a favourable, neutral or unfavourable role in the development of a code in your country?


favourable neutral/

no role

unfavourable



Regional public authorities



Teacher union

Teachers

Parent-teachers association


Public opinion

Medias

14 In your opinion, what specific problems the development process of a code is likely to face?

(several answers are possible)

Some majors actors will not be consulted

Some majors actors will refuse to be involved

It will be difficult to reconcile the different points of view of the parties involved

No specific problems to be mentioned

Other. Specify:

15 In your opinion, how could the development process of a code be improved?

16 What should be the main objectives stated by a code?

(several answers are possible)

Promote a feeling of professional identity among teachers

Improve the ethics of the teaching profession

Promote a positive image of the teaching profession

Guide members of the teaching profession in their conduct

Improve regulation and control of teacher misconduct

Protect students from unethical conduct of teachers

Improve the quality of teaching

Increase confidence of the community in the teaching profession

Other. Specify:

17 In your opinion, what should be the number of pages of a code (appendices not included)?


Less than five pages

From five to six pages

From ten to twenty pages

More than twenty pages

18 Should a code be translated into the various languages of your country?


Yes

No

19 Should a code take into consideration the different status of the teachers (civil servant, contractual, voluntary,

community teachers, etc.)?


Yes go to question 20

No go to question 21

20 If yes, in which way?

21 If no, why?

22 How would you conceive the principal characteristics of a code of conduct in your country?

(one answer maximum par line)

Yes No

It should be a self-regulation document

It should be a legal document

It should contain rules for administrative procedure

It should describe rules for conduct

It should describe ethical principles

It should be of a theoretical nature

It should be of a well-aimed and concrete nature

It should be formulated in a positive manner (what should be done…)

It should be formulated in a negative manner (what should not be done…)

It should be about teachers’ duties

It should be about teachers’ rights


23 What should be the principal themes treated by a code?


Yes No

Values (integrity, respect, commitment, equity, etc.)

If yes, please give three examples :

Professional competences (knowledge, pedagogy, etc.)


Relationships with others (colleagues, students, parents, etc.)


Gender issues (sexual discrimination, harassment, etc.)


Other. Specify:

24 Should a code give details on teachers’ conduct in function of the following groups of actors?


Yes No

Relationships with the administration

Relationships with colleagues

Relationships with students

Relationships with parents

Relationships with the local community

25 Should a code mention the following themes? (one answer maximum per line)

Yes No

Lying about qualifications/diplomas

Absence without justification

Going to work under the influence of alcohol (or on drugs)

Favouring/disadvantaging certain students

Having sexual relations with a student

Being physically violent with a student

Using moral harassment with a student

Collecting illegal fees from students

Diverting school funding

Offering private tutoring to students

Stealing school equipment

Disseminating confidential information

Taking advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Giving money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Using teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction

26 In your opinion, should teacher unions influence the content of a code?


Very much

Little

Not at all

27 In your opinion, should teacher unions formally approve the content of a code?


Yes

No

28 Should the content of a code be revised after its adoption?


Never

Once

Several times

29 To whom should a code be disseminated?

(several answers possible)

To central administration

To regional/local administration

To teachers

To teacher college or commission (professional organization)

To teachers unions

To teacher training institutes

To inspection services

To schools

To students

To Parents

To general public

Other. Specify :

30 In which form should a code be disseminated?


Simple document

Guide or manual

Posters

Videos

Other. Specify:


31 How should a code be disseminated?


By mail

Through direct communication (workshops, forums, etc.)

Through internet

Through the press

Through the radio

Other. Specify:

32 What do you think of the following dissemination modes?


very

effective

effective not very

effective

not at all

effective

Mail

Direct communication (workshops, forums, etc.)

Internet

Press

Radio

Other. Specify:

33 In your opinion, what actors should participate in raising public awareness of the importance of a code?

(one answer maximum per line and proceed to question 35)

Yes No



Regional/local public authorities

Teacher training institutes


Teacher unions

Teachers


Women organizations


34 If schools participate in raising awareness of the importance of the code, should the following actors be involved?

Yes No If yes, should women be involved?

Yes No

Headteacher


Teachers

Parents

Students

Local community


35 Should activities for raising public awareness organized specifically for women?


Yes, absolutely

Yes, a little

No, very little

No, not at all

36 What institutions should be in charge of the implementation of a code?


Yes No



Regional/local public authorities

Teacher training institutes


Teacher unions

Schools


Other. Specify:

37 Can teacher unions contribute to the good implementation of a code?


A lot

A little

Not at all

38 Should a code be included in teacher training?




39 If yes, how should it be included in the training?


40 In your opinion, should teachers adhere formally to a code, for example at the signature of their contract or when joining a union?


Yes

No

yes, as a compulsory

element

yes, as an optional

element

no, not to be included

It should be included in the initial training

It should be included in further continuous training


41 In your opinion, can the implementation of a code have a significant impact on the following aspects?


very significant

impact

significant

impact

not very

significant impact

no impact

Promote feeling of professional identity

Improve ethics of the profession

Reduce poor conduct

Improve quality of education

Increase confidence of the community

42 In your opinion, what specific problems the implementation of the code is likely face?


There are insufficient resources for a large dissemination of the code

General public will not know of the existence of the code

The code will be considered as not very relevant

The code will be considered as ineffective

The code will not lead to legal proceedings

The teacher incentives are insufficient

The social values will be in contradiction with those of the code

No specific problem is to mention

Other. Specify:

43 In what ways could the implementation of the code be improved, according to you?

44 In your opinion, should it be possible to register a complaint against a teacher that has not respected the code?


45 If yes, which actors should have the right to register a complaint?


46 If yes, what could be specific issues for complaint?


Can you give a possible example?

47 If yes, what structure should be charged with receiving and treating the complaint?


48 If yes, should the different stages of the procedure be made public?


Yes No

The investigative procedure should be made public

Decisions taken against the teacher should be made public



A student

A parent

Another teacher

A Headteacher

Administrative authorities

Whistle blowers (or hotlines)

Other. Specify:

important

issue

not very

important

not at all

important

Lying about his/ her qualifications/diplomas

Being absent without justification

Going to work under the influence of alcohol (or drugs)

Favoring/disadvantaging certain students

Having sexual relations with a student

Being physically violent with a student

Using moral harassment with a student

Collecting illegal fees from students

Diverting school funding

Offering private tutoring to students

Stealing school equipment

Disseminating confidential information

Taking advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Giving money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred

Using teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction

Other. Specify:

A commission charged with the application of the codes

An administrative disciplinary organ

An internal self-regulating organ within teaching profession

An organ of justice (court)

Other. Specify:


49 If yes, what types of sanctions could be applied, according to you?


50 Should teacher unions take sanctions against teachers for misconduct, according to you?




51 If yes, what sanctions would you judge as most appropriate?

(two answers possible)

Render a report to the teacher’s place of work

Render a report to the administrative authorities

Give the teacher a warning

Exclude the teacher from the union

Render public that the teacher’s behavior is unacceptable

Other. Specify:

52 In your opinion, what specific problems the monitoring and control of the good application of a code are likely to face?


The general public will ignore the procedures for filing a complaint

The complainants will be afraid to file a complaint

Too few sanctions will be taken

Insufficient sanctions will be taken

The application of the code will not be supported by the public authorities

The application of the code will not be supported by the teachers

The application of the code will not be supported by the teachers unions

The application of the code will not be supported by the law

The necessary resources will not be mobilized

No major problem to be mentioned

Other. Specify:

53 How could the monitoring and control of the good implementation of a code be improved according to you?

To conclude, please give us the following information about yourself:

(one answer maximum per question)

You are a teacher: yes no

You are: a man a woman

Age: less than 30 between 30 and 50 more than 50

You belong to the following institution:

Ministry of education

Educational department at the regional/local level



Teachers union

Parent teachers association

School

Other

Specify the name of your country:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!

Amicable agreement

Reprimand

Warning

Censure

Fine

Transfer

Exclusion of the teaching profession

No sanction

Other. Specify:

GUIDE

1. Attach the final file to an e-mail that you will send to: [email protected]. 2. You will receive an e-mail of confirmation within 48 hours; if not, thanks for re-contacting us.

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