COMMITMENT TO THE PROFESSION
1. Conduct yourself in a reasonable manner in the Development of Government Policies affecting education.
2. Do nothing in your private or public pursuits which will bring your profession disrepute.
3. Keep in confidence, information that has been obtained in the course of professional services, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
4. Offer advice and give helper criticism as the need arises. In this matter, you have a special responsibility to teachers in training and junior college.
5. Open confrontation of whatever nature must be avoided.
6. You should neither allow other employment to impair the effectiveness of your profession service and permit commercial exploitation of your professional position.
7. Keep all records accurate and up to date.
8. All correspondence addressed to the Ministry of Education should be channeled through the head of the school, in the first place.
9. The meeting of deadlines must be given priority and thoroughness in the preparation of required documents is crucial.
10. Professional growth is absolutely necessary and must be given priority.
11. Devote full working time to your vacation; teaching effort and time on task are essential for success.
COMMITMENT TO COLLEAGUES
1. Treat your colleagues as an equal professional regardless of their status.
2. Treat your colleagues with courtesy at all times.
3. If you are a head, behave in such a manner that you earn respect. Win it by upholding integrity, dignity, decorum and efficiency at all levels.
4. If you are deputy or senior master/mistress, hold the balance between the head and the other members of staff evenly poised.
5. Respect the functional superiority of those set in authority over you. In correcting subordinate, do not make the intent known to others unless it is necessary.
6. Be impartial in your decision with members of staff.
7. Cliques and fractions among members of staff will not be tolerated.
8. Do not discriminate on grounds of race, color, creed or nation origin, nor interfere with the free participation of colleagues in the affairs of their association(s).
9. Do not deliberately distort evaluation of colleagues.
ATTENDANCE, LEAVE AND ABSENCE
1. If you must visit the Ministry of Education, do so on the days specify. Do not abuse the concession.
2. Be regular and punctual. Attendance should be faithfully recorded. Teachers should report for duty at least fifteen minutes before the session begins.
3. Note that there are no free periods but non-teaching periods which ought to be utilized on a contingency basis.
4. The head has the prerogative of temporarily assigning a member of staff to teach a class in the absence of a teacher timetabled to do so.
5. Prior approval in writing should be obtained before proceeding on leave. In case of illnesses or emergency, inform the head without undue delay.
6. Do not abuse leave concessions.
7. Report your resumption of duty promptly.
COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS
In fulfilling your obligation to students:
1. Place high value on and demonstrate to students’ commitment for excellence in work, manners and achievement.
2. Encourage students to practice respect for others and to be thoughtful and helpful at all times especially in relation to the aged and the handicapped.
3. Encourage pupils to exercise self-discipline.
4. Help students develop a sense of responsibility self-reliance and independence.
5. Encourage students to show respect to all forms of duly constituted authority.
6. Demonstrate patriotism and appreciation of freedom with responsibility.
7. Help students to differentiate right from wrong and justice from injustice.
8. Encourage them to show respect for personal and public property.
9. Assist students to exercise tolerance as they strive for understanding of other’s ideas and beliefs.
10. Help students to understand that the development of acceptable attitudes and standards is more important than blind obedience to rules.
11. Strive to maintain mutual courtesy and respect between teachers and pupils.
12. Do not smoke, drink or eat in the presence of the pupils during teaching session.
13. Stimulate the spirit of enquiry, the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the thought formulation of worthy goals.
14. Respect the confidentiality of information about a student or his home and withhold it unless its release serves a professional purpose, and benefits the student or is required by law.
15. Undertake to constantly purse the improvement of learning facilities and opportunities.
16. Make responsible effort to protect students from conditions harmful to health and safety.
17. Do not use the facilities if the school to tutor students privately for gain.
18. Do not take advantage of your position to expert undue influence on the students in any direction.
19. Do not discriminate on grounds of ability, race, color or creed.
20. Cooperate as far as your professional obligation will allow you in securing the wishes of parents for their children.
21. Seek to foster the interest of parents in the progress of their children.
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY
The teaching vocation occupies a position of public trust. Education is effective when school and community co-operate in a constructive manner.
Adhere to any responsible pattern of behavior accepted by the community for professional behaviors.
Perform the duties of citizenship, and participate in community activities with due consideration.
Discuss controversial issues from and objective point of view; keep your class free from partisan opinions.
Respect the community in which you are employed and be loyal to the school system, community and nation.
Work to improve education in the community and to strengthen the community’s moral, spiritual and intellectual life.
Encourage the community to participate in the life of the school.
Co-operate with approved agencies concerned with student welfare.
Conduct professional business through recognized educational and professional channels.
Do nothing in your teaching calculated to instill contempt or disobedience to the laws of the land.
DRESS CODE
Dress tidily and modestly, close fitting garments are not suited to or functional for teaching purposes. They may be a source of embarrassment to both male and female teachers. T-shirts and jerseys with slogans, pictures, etc. are acceptable. Slippers are not considered appropriate for school. Dress should be functional.
FUNCTIONAL DRESS CODE
MALE
-Shirts(Tie optional)
-Shirt jackets/square bottomed shirts
-Tailored, soft pants (No jeans)
-Well-groomed hair
-Shoes and socks(No sneakers nor sandals except for medical reasons)
FEMALE
-Dress(No mini-dresses)
-Dresses with blazers/coats
-Tailored pants/pantsuits (No caprice pants. Shirts and tops with pants must be worn covering the posterior and anterior. No sleeveless tops/dresses)
-Shirts outside of shirts must be square bottomed (No transparent clothing, crochet, mesh, lace, etc.)
-Well-groomed hair
-Shoes with appropriate heels.
LEAVE ENTITLEMENT
Teachers are entitled to several leaves. These include:
1. Sick leave
2. Urgent private leave(UPA)
3. Study leave
4. Special leave
5. Whitley Council leave
6. Religious leave
7. Departmental leave
8. Compassionate leave
9. Maternity leave
SICK LEAVE
Three days per school year, granted by the manager/H.M
Teachers with less than one years’ service may be granted no more than one month’s sick leave, on full pay or half pay, at the discretion of the R. Ed. O/A.C.E.O., Georgetown.
Teachers with more than one year’s service may be granted more than a month sick leave, on full pay, plus an extension of two months half pay.
Teachers may be granted an extension of five months sick leave on half pay, if the teacher has had less than one month’s sick leave in each of the three years, immediately preceding the application for extension.
A teacher who requires more than two days sick leave must apply for same on the appropriate form accompanied by medical certificate from a recognized doctor or medical practitioner.
URGENT PRIVATE LEAVE (UPA)
For each school year the Manager/H.M may grant a teacher seven days U.P.A. leave.
This leave is limited to two days at a time, except in exceptional circumstances.
STUDY LEAVE
Teachers proceeding on a study course of their own are granted two months of full pay.
An extension is granted for up to one year on pay.
If a teacher is awarded a government scholarship, full pay shall be granted to one year duration in the first instance.
Extension of leave can be granted on full, half or no pay depending on the individual cases.
SPECIAL LEAVE
-Teachers are granted this leave with or without pay for any reasonable time, depending on the circumstances. Leave for the purpose of writing exams approved by the Department will be granted on pay.
WHITLEY COUNCIL LEAVE
-Service for Whitley Council leave includes services as a pupil teacher.
-One month’s leave including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays after every four year’s tour of duty.
-Teachers will be paid Whitley Council Leave allowances equal to one month’s salary without any form of deduction.
RELIGIOUS LEAVE
Teachers who are Muslims can be granted time off between 12:45 hours to attend service at their respective Mosques.
Each term the teachers have to produce letters, signed by the Imam, certifying that they are Muslims and have been attending service at their respective Mosques.
Teachers concerned must give back time granted by working extra in a manner satisfactory to the R. Ed.O/A.C.E.O, Georgetown. Where the teacher feels that he/she has been unjustly treated and is not satisfied with the decision of the R. Ed.O/A.C.E.O, Georgetown, he/she can appeal to the Chief Education Officer in relation to matters pertaining to leave or any other conditions of service.
DEPARTMENT LEAVE
There has been much abuse and misunderstanding regarding Department leave. This is leave approved by the Department of Education or by the Ministry of Education.
If a teacher requires more than two successive days leave for U.P.A then he/she must apply using the Application for leave form accompanied with a letter stating reasons for the leave. No teacher shall be granted more than fourteen days leave for U.P.A under leave granted by the Department.
COMPASSIONATE LEAVE
This is dealt with on a case by case basis. It is discretionary and it is the practice in the region to grant eligible cases no more than five days of Compassionate leave on full pay. All application for Compassionate leave must be done on the prescribe form, along with a covering letter and supportive documents such as Death certificate, medical, etc.
Compassionate leave will only be considered in relation to the death or illness of a sibling, parent, children or grandparent.
MATERNITY LEAVE
Maternity leave is an employee benefit that provides paid time off from work to care for a child after birth. Subject to the regulations, maternity leave benefit shall be granted in the case of a pregnancy and confinement of a woman who is an insured person. She is given three months’ time off work.
The National Insurance Scheme (N.I.S) provides maternity benefits to a woman if she has made a significant number of contributions.
The employer pays a percentage of her salary while N.I.S pays the percentage to complete her salary.
MANAGER’S LEAVE
Manager may be granted sick leave to a teacher on full pay for no more than three days or six sessions in a school year. These days must not exceed two days at a time. A teacher maybe granted only seven days or fourteen sessions leave by the Manager on a full pay, not exceeding two days at a time, for Urgent Private Affairs.
The procedure is through written application prior to leave. It is not just automatic that the application will be approved. A Head Teacher may deny approval for such application without good reason based upon his/her judgment. A teacher who has been denied the leave nut proceeds on will lose pay for that day.
BENEFITS
Superannuation Benefits
The teachers’ Superannuation Benefits Scheme is not a contributory one. The Scheme is paid from funds approved by Parliament.
It is paid to all certificated or uncertified teachers except pupil teachers or acting teachers.
Benefits can be given to any teacher who has attained the age of fifty-five years and served for thirty seven pensionable years (full pension). Only thirty-three and one third years could be considered;-
i. To compensate Full Pension:
1 x No. of months of service, not exceeding 400 months x Annual Salary for past three years.
ii. To compensate Gratuity: 25/2x1/4x full pension per year.
iii. Pension: approximately 1/2 of present salary.
Pensionable service starts at eighteen years.
Death Gratuity is granted after ten years of untrained pensionable service or three years of trained service.
It the teacher dies after three years of trained service, the death Gratuity is calculated at five times (1/4 of full pension) x25
If the teacher dies between ten years and twenty years, the death Gratuity is calculated as if the teacher as completed twenty years.
If the teacher dies after twenty years the Death Gratuity is calculated as per normal.
Dependent’s Pension Fund
· Opened to all teachers who have been or shall substantively appointed to teach.
· Contributions are payable until the contributor:
-Dies
-Attain age fifty five years
-Is dismissed from the service
-Has retired from service
-A contributor without a spouse or dependent or pensionable age is entitled on leaving the service to the refund of his/her contribution with compound interest at 2.5 per annum.
Teachers’ Duties and Responsibilities
(GTDRI ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTION)
The purpose of the teacher duties and responsibilities instrument (GTDRI) is to describe the expectation as for teachers in addition to the teaching tasks outlined in the GTOL.
A. Follows professional practices consistent with school and policies in working with students, students’ records, parents and colleagues.
· Demonstrates communication and interpersonal skills as they relate to interaction with students’ parents, other teachers, administrators and other school personnel.
· Is available to students and parents for conferences according to system policies.
· Facilitates home-school communication by such means as holding conferences, telephoning and sending written communications.
· Maintains confidentiality of students and students’ records.
· Work cooperatively with school administrators, special support personnel colleagues and parents.
B. Complies with rules, regulations and policies of governing agencies and supervisory personnel.
· Complies with state administrative regulations and Board of Education policies.
· Adheres to school and local school system procedures and rules.
· Conducts assigned classes at the times scheduled.
· Enforces regulations concerning students’ conduct and discipline.
· Demonstrates timeliness and attendance for assigned responsibilities.
C. Teachers leaving school
H.M/ Teacher who leaves school to attend business at the Department of Education must report promptly to the R. Ed.O/Officer indicating the purpose and nature of the visit.
He/ She must ensure that the business is finalized as early as possible and if possible, return to his/her school.
A teacher who has to leave his/her Region on official business must inform the R.Ed.O, through the H.M.
D. School days and holidays
Schools shall be kept open from Monday to Friday, inclusive in each week, except during the holidays.
The hours of attendance at schools shall be no more than five hours per day and whenever possible, shall be divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
The morning session shall include a period recreation not exceeding fifteen minutes and the afternoon session a period for recreation not exceeding ten minutes.
E. Records
All records shall be properly kept up to date. These include:
-Pupils’ Admission Registers. The Pupils’ Attendance Registers must be marked twice daily, during the time set on the timetable.it must be marked in ink and there must be no dots, change of figures, etc.
-Pupils’ Attendance Registers
-Teachers’ Notes-of-Lessons and Record-of-Work
-Log Book
F. In the Attendance Register for teachers
-Each teacher must enter the time of his/her arrival and departure from school, in the morning and afternoon of each day.
-Teachers must be at school fifteen minutes before commencement of the session.
Rights of a Teacher
TEACHERS’ RIGHTS TO PRIVACY
Teachers have a personal life of their own. As such, their privacy is respected. For each school year the Manager/H.M. may grant a teacher seven days of U.P.A. leave. This leave is limited to two days at a time, except in exceptional circumstances. Hence, a teacher may conduct all of his/her private affairs in a respectable manner.
TEACHERS’ RIGHTS TO RELIGION
Teachers have right to part take of whatever religion they choose. Islamic teachers are granted time off on Fridays between 12:45 and 14:45 hours to attend their respective Mosques. Each term these teachers have to produce letters, signed by the Imam, certifying that they have been attending service at their respective Mosques. These teachers, however, must give back the time granted by working for extra periods.
TEACHERS’ RIGHTS TO SICKNESS
Three days per school year is granted by the Manager/H.M.
Teachers less than one year’s service may be granted no more than one month’s sick leave, on pay or half pay at the discretion of the R.Ed.O/A.C.E.O., Georgetown.
Teachers with more than one year’s service may be granted more than one month’s sick leave, on full pay, plus an extension of two months with half pay.
Teachers may be granted an extension of five months sick leave on half pay, if the teacher has had less than one month’s sick leave in each of the three years, immediately preceding the application for extension.
TEACHERS’ RIGHTS TO HOLIDAYS
In addition to public holidays, schools shall be closed for periods during the Christmas and Easter holidays and school break in August. The Manager/H.M. of the school may declare special holidays not exceeding six days in any single school year.
TEACHERS’ DISCIPLINARY RIGHTS
- As far as possible, all matters should be settled at school.
- If the matter reaches to the R.Ed.O for investigation/inquiry/discussion, etc. all reports, statements, etc. accusing the teacher must be shown to him/her. A union official or representative must be present during the conduct of the investigation/inquiry/discussion, etc.
If the matter is taken to the Central Ministry of Education then the teacher should be charged and given every opportunity to exculpate himself/herself.