SDA Demonstration School/Code of Discipline for Teachers

CODE OF DISCIPLINE FOR TEACHERS

Every professional organization has a code of discipline to guide the conduct of its members. It is in the light of this that the code of discipline or code of professional conduct has been drawn up for the guidance of teachers in the performance of their duties.

The code provides a frame of reference for both the disciplinary authority and the teachers when it becomes necessary to initiate disciplinary actions against offenders. The rules and regulations in the code are meant to ensure that the conditions for effective teaching and learning are created and maintained in the schools and colleges and that the public should have confidence in the teachers to whom the education of the country’s children are entrusted.

The code is aimed at achieving high standard of professional competence and good behavior.

Any breach or non-observance in any section or part thereof of any of the rules and regulations shall constitute a misconduct or offences are:-

a. Warning or reprimand (plus surcharge where applicable) to be given in writing always for record purposes;

b. Suspension with loss of any and or allowance;

c. Stoppage of increment.

The misconduct which comes under minor offences are:-

a. i. Failure to prepare teaching notes;

ii. Failure to set an adequate amount of work, e.g. class work; home work, weekly test, mid-term test examination;

iii. Failure to mark written practical work.

b. i. Private conversations and private business or trading during School hours;

ii. Backbiting, gossiping, quarrelling/ fighting;

c. Bringing babies to school to interfere with schoolwork;

d. Improper use of children labour; that is using the labour of school children for private personal service without the consent of the head of the institution;

e. Unauthorized collection of monies;

f. Acting as editor, giving press interviews or release without permission;

g. Refusal to take part in extra-curricular activities;

h. Involvement in politics- using the advantage of being a teacher;

i. Lateness and absence from duty without permission;

j. Giving loans at interest to another teacher and financial embarrassment;

k. Drinking and smoking whiles on duty;

l. Drunkenness;

m. Improper use of property; stores equipment and failure to take proper care of property.

n. Using school property for other purposes without permission.

The major misconducts are;

a. Misappropriation of funds.

b. Insubordination- disobey, disregard or willfully default in carrying out any lawful instruction given by any person, committee or board having authority to give such order of instruction;

c. Sexual offences – indulging in immoral relation relationship with a pupil or teacher in one’s own school or in any educational institution in which one performs any official duties.

d. Taking official correspondence to outside without the express and prior consent of the proprietor or his representative

e. Complicity in school strikes, riots and demonstration;

f. Habitual drunkenness;

g. Habitual lateness and / or absenteeism;

h. Receiving or giving bribes;

i. Writing of anonymous letters;

j. Criminal conviction- a teacher convicted of a criminal offence involving fraud, theft or dishonesty or sentenced to a term of imprisonment shall be dismissed from the service;

k. Public examination malpractices – no teacher shall connive at and/ or condone collusion on copying at public examinations and no teacher shall indulgence in any acts of impersonation at public examination.

Disciplinary actions for major offences are:-

a. Deferment of increment;

b. Deduction in rant or of salary;

c. Suspension for a period not exceeding two (2) year;

d. Removal from the Ghana Education service. This means termination of appointment dismissal.

e. Striking off name from the Register of Teachers.