THE TEACHING PROFESSION

( Module 4)

By
Dr. Narcisa R. Figuerres

August 2020
 Module 4 : THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

This Module presents the Code of Ethics for professional Teachers based on
Resolution Number 435 series of 1997 issued by the Professional Regulation
Commission. Read on and find out how the professional teacher conducts
himself/herself in the practice of his/her profession.

The duly accomplished learning tasks are to be submitted via e-mail

[email protected]
 Module 4
THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

I. INTRODUCTION
A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards and who
hold themselves out as , and are accepted by the public as possessing special knowledge
and skills in a widely recognized body of learning derived from research , education and
training at a high level , and who are prepared to apply this knowledge and exercise these
skills in the interest of others. It is inherent in the description of a profession that a code of
ethics governs the activities of each profession. They demand high standards of behaviour in
respect to the service provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleague and
other stakeholders.

This module presents the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers as contained in
Resolution No. 435 series of 1997. Read on and reflect on some of the experiences you have
had to match them with the concepts and processes contained in this module.

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing this module , pre-service teachers should be able to :
1. Explain the meaning of profession and professional in the context of teaching and
learning ;
2. recognize the importance of a Code of Ethics that will govern the activities of a
professional teacher ;
3. appreciate what it means to be a professional teacher ; and
4. accomplish the different learning tasks related to the topic.
III. TOPICS AND KEY LEARNING POINTS
1. The Board for Professional Teachers adopts and promulgates the Code of Ethics for
Professional Teachers as contained in Resolution No. 435 series of 1997.
2. Preamble. Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and reputation
with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence. In the practice of
their noble profession , they strictly adhere to , observe and practice this set of ethical and
moral principles , standards and values.
3. ARTICLE I – SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
3.1 Section 1. The Philippine Constitution provides that all educational institutions shall
offer quality education for all Filipino citizens , a vision that requires professionally
competent teachers committed to its full realization. The provisions of this Code shall
apply , therefore to all teachers in all schools.
3.2 Section 2. This Code covers all public and private school teachers in all educational
institutions at the preschhol , primary , elementary and secondary levels whether
academic , vocational , special , technical or non formal. The term “teacher” shall
includeindustrial 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.
4. ARTICLE II . THE TEACHER AND THE STATE
4.1 Section 1. The schools are nurseries of the 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 alliance to the Constitution and respect
for all duly constituted authorities and promote obedience to the laws of the state.
4.2 Section 2. Every teacher or school official shall actively help carry out the declares
policies of the state , and shall an oath to this effect.
4.3 Section 3. In the interest of the State of the Filipino people as much as of his own ,
every teacher shall be physically , mentally and morally fit.
4.4 Section 4. Every teacher shall possess and actualize full commitment and devotion to
duty.
4.5 Section 5. A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of any political , religious and
other partisan interest , and shall not directly or indirectly , solicit , require , collect or
receive any money , service , other valuable materials from any person , entity for such
purpose.
4.6 Section 6. Every teacher shall vote and shall exercise all other constitutional rights
and responsibilities.
4.7 Section 7. A teacher shall not use his position or official authority of influence to
coerce any other person to follow any political course of action.
4.8 Section 8. Every teacher shall enjoy academic freedom and shall have the privilege of
sharing the product of his researches and investigations , provided that , if the results
are inimical to the declared policies of the State , they shall be drawn to the proper
authorities for appropriate remedial action.
5. ARTICLE III – THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY
5.1 Section 1. A teacher is a facilitator of learning and of the development of the youth ;
he shall , therefore , render the best services by providing an environment conducive
to such learning and growth.
5.2 Section 2. Every teacher shall provide leadership and initiative to actively participate
in community movements for moral , social , educational , economic and civic
betterment.
5.3 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.
5.4 Section 4. Every teacher shall help the school keep the people in the community and ,
shall, therefore , study and understand local customs and traditions in order to have a
sympathetic attitude , therefore , refrain from disparaging the community.
5.5 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.
5.6 Section 6. Every teacher is an 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.
 5.7 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.
5.8 Section 8. A teacher possesses freedom to attend church and worship , as
appropriate , but shall not use his position and influence to proselyte others.
6. ARTICLE IV – THE TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION
6.1 Section 1. Every teacher shall actively help insure that teaching is the noblest
profession , and shall manifest genuine enthusiasm and pride in teaching as a noble
calling.
6.2 Section 2. Every teacher shall uphold the highest possible standards of quality
education , shall make the best preparation for the career of teaching and shall be at
his best at all times in the practice of his profession.
6.3 Section 3. Every teacher shall participate in the Continuing Professional Education
(CPE) program of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) , 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.
6.4 Section 4. Every teacher shall help , if duly authorized to seek support for the school,
but shall not make improper misrepresentations through personal advertisements and
other questionable means.
6.5 Section 5. Every teacher shall use the teaching profession in a manner that makes it a
dignified means for earning a descent living.
7. ARTICLE V – THE TEACHER AND THE TEACHING COMMUNITY
7.1 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. When the best interest of the learners , the school or
the profession is at stake in any controversy , teachers shall support one another.
7.2 Section 2. A teacher is not entitled to claim for work not of his own , and shall give due
credit for the work of others which he may use.
7.3 Section 3. Before leaving his position , a teacher shall organize and leave to his
successor such records and other data as are necessary to carry on the work.
7.4 Section 4. A teacher shall hold inviolate all confidential information concerning
associates and the school , and shall not divulge to anyone documents which have not
yet been officially released , or remove records from the files without official
permission.
7.5 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. This may
be done only if there is incontrovertible evidence for such conduct.
7.6 Section 6. A teacher may submit to the proper authorities any justifiable criticism
against an associate , preferably in writing , without violating any right of the individual
concerned.
 7.7 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.
8. ARTICLE VI – THE TEACHER AND HIGHER AUTHORITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
8.1 Section 1. A teacher shall make it his duty to make an honest effort to understand and
support the legitimate policies of the school and the administration regardless of
professional feeling or private opinion and shall faithfully carry them out.
8.2 Section 2. A teacher shall not make any false accusation or charges against superiors
, especially under anonymity. However , if there are valid charges , he should present
such under oath to competent authority.
8.3 Section 3. A teacher shall transact all official business through channels except when
special conditions warrant a different procedure , such as when reforms are advocated
but are opposed by the immediate superior , in which case the teacher shall appeal
directly to the appropriate higher authority.
8.4 Section 4. A teacher , individually or as part of a group , has a right to seek redress
against injustice and discrimination and , to the extent possible , shall raise his
grievances within democratic processes. In doing so , he shall avoid jeopardizing the
interest and welfare of learners whose right to learn must be respected.
8.5 Section 5. A teacher has the right to invoke the principle that appointments ,
promotions and transfers of teachers are made only on the basis of merit and need in
the interest of the service.
8.6 Section 6. A teacher who accepts a position assumes a contractual obligation to live
up to his contract , assuming full knowledge of the employment terms and conditions.
9. ARTICLE VII – SCHOOL OFFICIALS , TEACHERS AND OTHER PERSONNEL
9.1 Section 1. 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
enlightened direction.
9.2 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.
9.3 Section 3. School official shall encourage and attend to 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 and training programs.
9.4 Section 4. No school official shall dismiss or recommend for dismissal a teacher or
other subordinate except for cause.
9.5 Section 5. School authorities concerned 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 , and , provided , further that they are duly registered and licensed professional
teachers.
10. ARTICLE VIII – THE TEACHER AND THE LEARNERS
10.1 Section 1. A teacher has the right and duty to determine the academic marks and
the promotion of learners in the subjects they handle. Such determination shall be in
accordance with generally accepted procedure of evaluation and measurement. In
case of any complaint , teachers concerned shall immediately take appropriate action ,
observing the process.
10.2 Section 2. A teacher shall recognize that the interest and welfare of learners are
his first and foremost concern , and shall handle each learner justly and impartially.
10.3 Section 3. Under no circumstances shall a teacher be prejudiced nor
discriminatory against any learner.
10.4 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
underserved.
10.5 Section 5. A teacher shall not accept directly or indirectly , any remuneration from
tutorials other than what is authorized for such service.
10.6 Section 6. A teacher shall base the evaluation of the learner’s work on merit and
quality of academic performance.
10.7 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.
10.8 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 manifestations of poor scholarship.
10.9 Section 9. A teacher shall insure that conditions contributive to the maximum
development of learners are adequate , and shall extend needed assistance in
preventing or solving learner’s problems and difficulties.
11. ARTICLE IX – THE TEACHER AND PARENTS
11.1 Section 1. A teacher shall establish and maintain cordial relations with parents
and shall conduct himself to merit their confidence and respect.
11.2 Section 2. A teacher shall inform parents , through proper authorities of the
progress or deficiencies of learners under him , exercising outmost candor and tact in
pointing out learners’ deficiencies and in seeking parent’s cooperation for the proper
guidance and improvement of learners.
11.3 Section 3. A teacher shall hear parent’s complaints with sympathy and
understanding , and shall discourage unfair criticism.
12. ARTICLE X – THE TEACHER AND BUSINESS
12.1 Section 1. A teacher has a right to engage , directly or indirectly , in legitimate
income generation , provided that it does not relate to or adversely affect his work.
12.2 Section 2. A teacher shall maintain a good reputation with respect to financial
matters such as in the settlement of his just debts , loans and other financial affairs.
 12.3 Section 3. No teacher shall act , directly or indirectly , as agent of , or be
financially interested in any commercial venture which publish 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 that such shall be in accordance with existing regulations.
13. ARTICLE XI – THE TEACHER AS A PERSON
13.1 Section 1. A teacher shall live with dignity in all places at all times.
13.2 Section 2. A teacher shall premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the
principle of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.
13.3 Section 3. A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could
serve as model worthy of emulation by learners , peers and others.
13.4 Section 4. A teacher shall always recognize the Almighty God or Being as guide
of his own destiny and of the destinies of men and nations.
14. ARTICLE XII – DISCIPLINARY ACTION
14.1 Section 1. Any violation of any provision of this Code shall be sufficient ground for
the imposition against the erring teacher of disciplinary action consisting of revocation
of his certificate of Registration and License as Professional Teacher , suspension
from the practice of the teaching profession , reprimand or cancellation of his
temporary/special permit under causes specified in Sec. 23 , Article III or R.A. 7836
and under Rule 31 , Article VIII , of the Rules and Regulations Implementing R.A.
7836.
15. ARTICLE XIII – EFFECTIVITY
15.1 Section 1. This Code shall be approved by the Professional regulation
Commission and shall take effect sixty (60) days following its publication in the official
Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation , whichever is earlier.
IV. LEARNING TASKS

Learning Task No. 1

Direction : Using the provisions contained in the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers as
your frame of reference , determine whether the following statements are True or False. Write
TRUE if the statement is true and write FALSE if the statement does not conform with the
Code.

__________1. The teacher shall recognize that the scholastic ratings of learners are his first
and foremost concern , and shall handle each learner justly and impartially.
__________2. Under special circumstances , a teacher shall be prejudiced against any
learner.
__________3. A teacher has a right to sell tocino , longganiza , etc. provided that it does not
adversely affect his work.
__________4. A teacher is allowed to borrow money from parents of his students and co-
teachers provided there is a written agreement.
__________5. Each teacher is a trustee of the cultural and educational heritage of the nation.
__________6. A teacher is entitled to claim for work not of his own, and shall give due credit
for the work of others which he may use.
__________7. A teacher can make false accusations or charges against the school principal
under anonymity.
__________8. Promotion and transfer of a teacher is made only on the basis of merit and need
in the interest of the service.
__________9. A teacher shall not divulge documents which have not yet been officially
released.
__________10. Every teacher shall participate in seminars , conferences and training in
compliance with the continuing professional education program of the
Department of Education.
__________11. Every teacher shall provide leadership and initiative to actively participate in
community movements.
__________12. Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition and refrain from such
activities as gambling , drunkenness and smoking.
__________13. Every teacher shall welcome the opportunity to extend counseling services to
the community especially in the barangay.
__________14. A teacher can engage in the promotion of any political , religious and other
partisan interest.
__________15. Every teacher shall take an oath to carry out the declared policies of the
government.
__________16. Every teacher shall vote and shall exercise all other constitutional rights and
responsibilities.
__________17. A teacher shall transact all official business through channels.
__________18. A teacher may apply for a vacant position for which he is qualified , provided
that he respects the system of selection.
__________19. No teacher shall act , directly or indirectly , as agent of a publishing company.
__________20. A teacher shall hear parent’s complaints with understanding and shall
discourage fair criticism
Learning Task No. 2

Article VI , Section 6 : A teacher who accepts a position assumes a contractual obligation

to live up to his contract , assuming full knowledge of the employment terms and
conditions. Using the internet and other sources of information , Get a Sample Teacher’s
Contract (specifying the Terms and Conditions of his Employment)

Place the Sample Teacher’s Contract here :

Learning Task No. 3

Article VII , Section 4 : No school official shall dismiss or recommend for dismissal a
teacher except for just cause ( A “just cause” refers to wrongdoings committed by the
teacher on the basis of which the aggrieved party may terminate the employer-employee
relationship). Using the internet and other sources of information , identify the just
causes for terminating the services of teachers.
Learning Task No. 4
Direction : Online Research

What is ACADEMIC FREEDOM?

Article VIII , Section 8 :

Every teacher shall enjoy academic freedom
and shall have the privilege of sharing the
product of his researches and investigations ,
provided that , if the results are inimical to the
declared policies of the State , they shall be
drawn to the proper authorities for appropriate
remedial action.

What is CORPORAL PUNISHMENT?

Article VIII , 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
manifestations of poor scholarship.

What is the meaning of to PROSELYTE?

Article III – Section 8

A teacher possesses freedom to attend
church worship , as appropriate , but shall not
use his position and influence to proselyte
others.
Learning Task No. 5
Direction : Read carefully the below-stated provisions of the Code of Ethics for Teachers.
Explain and give specific examples in the context of teaching and learning.

READ EXPLAIN GIVE EXAMPLE

Article VIII , Section 5

A teacher shall not accept ,
directly or indirectly , any
remuneration from tutorials
other than what is authorized
for such service.

Article VIII , Section 1

A teacher has the right and
duty to determine the
academic marks and the
promotion of learners in the
subjects they handle. 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
action , observing the
process.
READ EXPLAIN GIVE EXAMPLE

Article III , 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 ,
drunkenness and other
excesses , much less illicit
relations.

Article V , Section 3
Before leaving his position , a
teacher shall organize and
leave to his successor such
records and other data as are
necessary to carry on the
work.