CHAPTER 3

Socially Responsible
Teachers: Moral and Ethical
 The role of the teachers is to educate.

 They create and control the learning

process.

 They encourage participation and

interaction of students in the
acquisition of knowledge, skills, and
values needed to prepare them for
their roles in the society.
 To achieve their objectives, teacher need
to manage the classroom effectively. This
calls for the teachers’ skill in establishing
healthy relationship with the students.

 They need to explore the rights, duties

and moral principles embodied in the
Ethical Standards for Teachers to
maintain their trust and respect. This
calls for their awareness and
commitment to the moral and ethical
dimensions of teaching embodied with
the Code of Ethics for Professional
Teachers.
Morals and ethics are often used
interchangeably but they almost
mean the same.

Ethics
Morals
Morality
Ethics
• Refers to a system of principles
of conduct that guide the
behavior of a person.
• It is concerned with individual
character like being a
“good person”.
• It is also concerned with the
character of an entire society,
culture, or profession.
Morals
Are values related to a
system of beliefs –
religious system,
business or political
system. These values get
their authority from
outside or higher
authority.
Moral values include:

Honesty
Integrity
Compassion
Courage
Honor
Responsibility
Patriotism
Respect
Fairness
Morality
 Refers to a subset of
ethical rules of special
importance.
 It is a guide to behavior
for individuals who want
to govern the behavior of
others.
 Moral rules are often the
basis for the rules of
society.
 Ethics or morality studies the “good”
and “bad” of human behavior,
thoughts and feelings.
 It analyzes how man should treat
others as well as himself.
 Ethics is about actions and decisions.
A person acts in accordance with his
values. A person who behaves
according to the core values he
upholds, is said to be acting ethically.
Morality maybe divided into three
stages:

 Morality of self-interest
 Morality of law and social rules
 Morality of abstract principles
Morality of self-interest

Characterized by doing the act or the behavior

to gain rewards or avoid punishment. In other
words, it is the reward or punishment
consequences that guide peoples’ action.
Morality of law and social rules

Apply when the action or behavior of the

individual is determined by the rule and
authority, meaning peoples’ action are
motivated by obedience and respect for law.
They also aim to gain approval and avoid
disapproval of their behavior.
Morality of abstract principles

Exhibited by people who assume personal

responsibility in their behavior. People who
have reached this level no longer aim for
approval or disapproval of their action. Their
behavior is guided by their ethical principles
and moral values.
Respect
Teachers need to demonstrate respect for
spiritual and cultural values, diversity, social
justice, freedom, and democracy. This is in
relation to their role to address and promote
human dignity.
Integrity
Teachers are persons of integrity. This means
being honest, reliable and morally upright.
They should be true to their commitment and
responsibilities as teachers.
 Care
 Being the second parents of the students, teachers
should take the best interest of the students as their
credo.

 They should provide a caring commitment where the

students would feel valued and accepted.

 Teachers should show positive influence and empathy

when dealing with the students.
Trust
 Trust is the foundation of a strong relationship.

 Trust begets trust; teachers should show they believe

and trust their students. Consequently, the teachers
earn their trust and respect for them.
CODE OF ETHICS FOR
PROFESSIONAL
TEACHERS
 Ethical codes help ensure that the
members of the profession will deal
justly with the public.

 It is viewed as the hallmark of

professional maturity.

 It also provides guidance for the

professionals on decision-making.
 CODE OF ETHICS
Resolution No. 435
Series of 1997
Pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph
€, Article II, of R.A. No. 7836, otherwise
known as the “Philippine Teachers
Professionalization Act of 1994” and
Paragraph (a), Section 6, P.D. No. 223, as
amended, the Board for Professional
Teachers hereby adopts and promulgates
the following “Code of Ethics for
Professional Teachers”.
 PREAMBLE
Teachers are duly licensed professionals who
possesses dignity and reputation with high
moral values as well as technical and
professional competence in the practice of their
noble profession, and they strictly adhere to,
observe, and practice this set of ethical and
moral principles, standards, and values.
 ARTICLE 1
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
Section 1. The Philippine Constitution provides that all
educational institution shall offer quality education for all
competent teachers. Committed to its full realization, the
provision of this Code shall apply, therefore, to all teachers in
schools in the Philippines.

Section 2. This Code covers all public and private school teachers
in all educational institutions at the preschool, primary,
elementary, and secondary levels whether academic, vocational,
special, technical, or non-formal. The term “teacher” shall
include industrial arts or vocational teachers and all other persons
performing supervisory and/ or administrative functions in all
school at the aforesaid levels, whether on full time or part-time
basis.
 ARTICLE II
THE TEACHER AND THE STATE
Section 1. The schools are the nurseries of the future
citizens of the state; each teacher is a trustee of the
cultural and educational heritage of the nation and is under
obligation to transmit to learners such heritage as well as
to elevate national morality, promote national pride,
cultivate love of country, instill allegiance to the
constitution and for all duly constituted authorities, and
promote obedience to the laws of the state.

Section 2. Every teacher or school official shall actively

help carry out the declared policies of the state, and shall
take an oath to this effect.
Section 3. In the interest of the State and of the Filipino
people as much as of his own, every teacher shall be
physically, mentally and morally fit.

Section 4. Every teacher shall possess and actualize a

full commitment and devotion to duty.

Section 5. A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of

any political, religious, or other partisan interest, and
shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, require, collect, or
receive any money or service or other valuable material
from any person or entity for such purposes.

Section 6. Every teacher shall vote and shall exercise all

other constitutional rights and responsibility.
Section 7. A teacher shall not use his position or
official authority or influence to coerce any other
person to follow any political course of action.

Section 8. Every teacher shall enjoy academic

freedom and shall have privilege of expounding the
product of his researches and investigations; provide
that, if the results are inimical to the declared policies
of the State, they shall be brought to the proper
authorities for appropriate remedial action.
 ARTICLE III
THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY

Section 1. A teacher is a facilitator of learning and of

the development of the youth; he shall, therefore,
render the best service by providing an environment
conducive to such learning and growth.

Section 2. Every teacher shall provide leadership and

initiative to actively participate in community
movements for moral, social, educational, economic
and civic betterment.
Section 3. 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.

Section 4. Every teacher shall live for and with the

community and shall, therefore, study and understand
local customs and traditions in order to have
sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from
disparaging the community.
Section 5. Every teacher shall help the school keep the
people in the community informed about the school’s
work and accomplishments as well as its needs and
problems.

Section 6. Every teacher is intellectual leader in the

community, especially in the barangay, and shall
welcome the opportunity to provide such leadership
when needed, to extend counseling services, as
appropriate, and to actively be involved in matters
affecting the welfare of the people.
Section 7. Every teacher shall maintain harmonious
and pleasant personal and official relations with
other professionals, with government officials, and
with the people, individually or collectively.

Section 8. A teacher possesses freedom to attend

church and worship as appropriate, but shall not
use his positions and influence to proselyte others.
 ARTICLE IV
THE TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION

Section 1. Every teacher shall actively insure that

teaching is the noblest profession, and shall manifest
genuine enthusiasm and pride in teaching as a noble
calling.

Section 2. Every teacher shall uphold the highest

possible standards of quality education, shall make the
best preparations for the career of teaching, and shall
be at his best at all times and in the practice of his
profession.
Section 3. Every teacher shall participate in the
Continuing Professional Educational (CPE) program of
the Professional Regulation Commission, and shall
pursue such other studies as will improve his
efficiency, enhance the prestige of the profession, and
strengthen his competence, virtues, and productivity in
order to be nationally and internationally competitive.

Section 4. Every teacher shall help, if duly authorized,

to seek support from the school, but shall not make
improper misrepresentations through personal
advertisements and other questionable means.
Section 5. Every teacher shall use the teaching
profession in a manner that makes it dignifies means
of earning a decent living.
 ARTICLE V
THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY

Section 1. Teachers shall, at all times, be imbued with

the spirit of professional loyalty, mutual confidence,
and faith in one another, self-sacrifice for the common
good, and full cooperation with colleagues.

Section 2. A teacher is not entitled to claim credit or

work not of his own, and shall give due credit for the
work of others which he may use.
Section 3. Before leaving his position, a teacher shall
organize for whoever assumes the position such
records and other data as are necessary to carry on
the work.

Section 4. A teacher shall hold inviolate all confidential

information concerning associates and the school, and
shall not divulge to anyone documents which has not
been officially released, or remove records from files
without permission.

Section 5. It shall be the responsibility of every teacher

to seek correctives for what may appear to be an
unprofessional and unethical conduct of any
associate.
Section 6. A teacher may submit to the proper
authorities any justifiable criticism against an
associate, preferably in writing, without violating the
right of the individual concerned.

Section 7. A teacher may apply for a vacant position

for which he is qualified; provided that he respects the
system of selection on the basis of merit and
competence; provided, further, that all qualified
candidates are given the opportunity to be considered.
ARTICLE VI – THE TEACHER AND HIGHER
AUTHORITIES IN THE PROFESSIONS
 Section 1. Every teacher shall make it his duties
to make an honest effort to understand and
support the legitimate policies of the school and
the administration regardless of personal feeling
or private opinion and shall faithfully carry them
out.
 Section 2. A teacher shall not make any false
accusations or charges against superiors,
especially under anonymity. However, if there
are valid charges, he should present such under
oath to competent authority.
 Section 3. A teacher shall transact all official
business through channels except when special
conditions warrant a different procedure, such as
when special conditions are advocated but are
opposed by immediate superiors, in which case,
the teacher shall appeal directly to the
appropriate higher authority..
 Section 4. Every teacher, individually or as part
of a group, has a right to seek redress against
injustice to the administration and to extent
possible, shall raise grievances within acceptable
democratic possesses. In doing so. they shall avoid
jeopardizing the interest and the welfare of
learners whose right to learn must be respected.
 Section 5. Every teacher has a right to
invoke the principle that appointments,
promotions, and transfer of teachers are
made only on the basis of merit and
needed in the interest of the service.
 Section 6. A teacher who accepts a
position assumes a contractual obligation
to live up to his contract, assuming full
knowledge of employment terms and
conditions.
 ARTICLE VII – SCHOOL OFFICIALS
TEACHERS AND OTHER PERSONNEL
 Section 1. All school officials shall at all
times show professional courtesy, helpfulness
and sympathy towards teachers and other
personnel, such practices being standards of
effective school supervision, dignified
administration, responsible leadership and
enlighten directions.
 Section 2. School officials, teachers, and
other school personnel shall consider it their
cooperative responsibility to formulate
policies or introduce important changes in the
system at all levels.
 Section 3. School officials shall encourage
and attend the professional growth of all
teachers under them such as recommending
them for promotion, giving them due
recognition for meritorious performance, and
allowing them to participate in conferences
in training programs.
 Section 4. No school officials shall dismiss or
recommend for dismissal a teacher or other
subordinates except for cause.
 Section 5. School authorities concern shall
ensure that public school teachers are
employed in accordance with pertinent civil
service rules, and private school teachers are
issued contracts specifying the terms and
conditions of their work: provided that they
are given, if qualified, subsequent
permanent tenure, in accordance with
existing laws.
 ARTICLE VIII – THE TEACHERS
AND LEARNERS
 Section 1. A teacher has a right and duty to
determine the academic marks and the
promotions of learners in the subject or grades
he handles, such determination shall be in
accordance with generally accepted procedures
of evaluation and measurement. In case of any
complaint, teachers concerned shall immediately
take appropriate actions, of serving due process.
 Section 2. A teacher shall recognize that the
interest and welfare of learners are of first and
foremost concerns, and shall deal justifiably and
impartially with each of them.
 Section 3. Under no circumstance shall a
teacher be prejudiced nor discriminated
against by the learner.
 Section 4. 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.
 Section 5. A teacher shall not accept,
directly or indirectly, any remuneration from
tutorials other what is authorized for such
service.
 Section 6. A teacher shall base the
evaluation of the learner’s work only in merit
and quality of academic performance.
 Section 7. In a situation where mutual
attraction and subsequent love develop
between teacher and learner, the teacher
shall exercise utmost professional discretion
to avoid scandal, gossip and preferential
treatment of the learner.
 Section 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
manifestation of poor scholarship.
 Section 9. A teacher shall ensure that
conditions contribute to the maximum
development of learners are adequate, and
shall extend needed assistance in preventing
or solving learner’s problems and difficulties.
 ARTICLE IX – THE TEACHERS
AND PARENTS
 Section 1. Every teacher shall establish and
maintain cordial relations with parents, and
shall conduct himself to merit their
confidence and respect.
 Section 2. Every teacher shall inform
parents, through proper authorities, of the
progress and deficiencies of learner under
him. Exercising utmost candor and tact in
pointing out learners deficiencies and in
seeking parent’s cooperation for the proper
guidance and improvement of the learners.
 Section 3. A teacher shall hear parent’s
complaints with sympathy and
understanding, and shall discourage unfair
criticism.
 ARTICLE X – THE TEACHER AND
BUSINESS
 Section 1. A teacher has the right to engage,
directly or indirectly, in legitimate income
generation: provided that it does not relate
to or adversely affect his work as a teacher.
 Section 2. A teacher shall maintain a good
reputation with respect to the financial
matters such as in the settlement of his
debts and loans in arranging satisfactorily his
private financial affairs.
 Section 3. No teacher shall act, directly or
indirectly, as agent of, or be financially
interested in. any commercial venture which
furnish textbooks and other school commodities
in the purchase and disposal of which he can
exercise official influence, except only when his
assignment is inherently, related to such
purchase and disposal: provided they shall be in
accordance with the existing regulations:
provided, further, that members of duly
recognized teachers cooperatives may
participate in the distribution and sale of such
commodities.
ARTICLE XI – THE TEACHER AS A
PERSON
 Section 1. A teacher is, above all. a human
being endowed with life for which it is the
highest obligation to live with dignity at all
times whether in school, in the home, or
elsewhere.
 Section 2. A teacher shall place premium
upon self-discipline as the primary principles
of personal behavior in all relationships with
others and in all situations.
 Section 3. A teacher shall maintain at all
times a dignified personality which could
serve as a model worthy of emulation by
learners, peers and all others.
 Section 4. A teacher shall always recognize
the Almighty God as guide of his own destiny
and of the destinies of men and nations.
 ARTICLE XII – DISCIPLINARY
ACTIONS
 Section 1. Any violation of any provisions of
this code shall be sufficient ground for the
imposition against the erring teacher of the
disciplinary action consisting of revocation of
his Certification of Registration and License as
a Professional Teacher, suspension from the
practice of teaching profession, reprimand or
cancellation of his temporary/special permit
under causes specified in Sec. 23. Article HI
or R.A. No. 7836. and under Rule 31. Article
VIII. of the Rules and Regulations
Implementing R.A. 7836.
ARTICLE XIII – EFFECTIVITY
 Section 1. This Code shall take effect upon
approval by the Professional Regulation
Commission and after sixty (60) days
following its publication in the official
Gazette or any newspaper of general
circulation, whichever is earlier.