Code of Ethics for

Professional
Teachers
 Teaching as a Profession
• A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to
ethical standards and who are accepted by the public as possessing
special knowledge and skills and who are prepared to apply this
knowledge and exercise these skills in the interest of others.
• a code of ethics governs the activities of the profession and defines
and demands high standards of behavior in respect to the services
provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues.
• these codes are enforced by the profession and are acknowledged and
accepted by the community.
 Code of Ethics
• principles designed to help professionals act with
honesty and integrity.
• a written set of rules to help professionals conduct
their actions in accordance with its primary value
and standards.
• guide how professionals are expected to behave
and what rights do they have as they carry out their
profession.
 Criteria of Professional
Training of a Teacher
1. Professional Academic Preparation
• Teachers have finished a four-year degree course
in Education.
• Those who obtained a non-Education degree have
to obtain the eighteen units of Professional
Education subjects to take the Licensure
Examination for Teachers.
 Criteria of Professional
Training of a Teacher
2. Licensure and Commitment to the Service
• Teachers are licensed professionals as certified by
the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
They possess extensive knowledge in their field
and are committed to serving the youth.
 Criteria of Professional
Training of a Teacher
3. Public Service and Altruism
Teachers are aware that teaching is service. They entered the
profession hoping that they could help influence the students
to become better persons and live a more meaningful life.
4. Legal Practice of the Profession
The government recognizes the teaching profession as its
partner in educating the youth. Society views the teachers as
second parents of the children.
 Criteria of Professional
Training of a Teacher
5. Adherence to Professional Ethics
• The Code of Ethics governs teachers for
Professional Teachers. The code provides for
ethical behavior expected of the teachers for
discipline purposes.
6. Membership to Professional Organization
• Professional organizations have been organized
for teachers to take care of their welfare.
 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.
 ARTICLE I
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

Section 1. The Philippine Constitution provides

that all educational institutions shall offer quality
education for all competent teachers committed of
its full realization. The provision of this Code shall
apply, therefore, to all teachers in schools in the
Philippines.
 ARTICLE I
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

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 schools
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.
 ARTICLE II
THE TEACHER AND 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.
 ARTICLE II
THE TEACHER AND THE STATE

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.
 ARTICLE II
THE TEACHER AND THE STATE

Section 7. A teacher shall not use his position or 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; provided 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.
 ARTICLE III
THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY

Section 3. Every teacher shall merit reasonable

social recognition for which purpose he shall
behave with honor and dignity at all times and
refrain for 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
 ARTICLE III
THE TEACHER AND 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 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.
 ARTICLE III
THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY

• 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 possess freedom to attend church and worships

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

• Section 1. Every teacher shall actively ensure 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
Education (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.
 ARTICLE IV
A TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION

• 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 dignified means for earning a
decent living.
 ARTICLE V
THE TEACHERS AND THE PROFESSION

• Section 1. Teacher 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, teacher shall support one another.
• Section2. 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.
• Section3. 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.
 ARTICLE V
THE TEACHERS AND THE PROFESSION

• 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 the files without permission.
• Section 5. It shall be the responsibility of every teacher to seek
correctives for what he may appear to be an unprofessional and
unethical conduct of any associates. However, this may be done
only if there is incontrovertible evidence for such conduct.
 ARTICLE V
THE TEACHERS AND THE PROFESSION

• 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.
 ARTICLE VI
THE TEACHER AND HIGHER AUTHORITIES
IN THE PROFESSIONS

• 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.
 ARTICLE VI
THE TEACHER AND HIGHER AUTHORITIES IN THE PROFESSIONS

• 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.
 ARTICLE VII
SCHOOL OFFICIALS TEACHERS AND OTHER PERSONNEL

• 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.
 ARTICLE VII
SCHOOL OFFICIALS TEACHERS AND OTHER
PERSONNEL

• 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.
 ARTICLE VIII
THE TEACHERS AND LEARNERS

• 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.
 ARTICLE VIII
THE TEACHERS AND LEARNERS

• 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 TEACHER 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.
 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.
 ARTICLE X
THE TEACHER AND BUSINESS

• 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 principle of personal behavior in
all relationships with others and in all situations.
 ARTICLE XI
THE TEACHER AS A PERSON

• 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 III or R.A. No. 7836, and under Rule 31, Article
VIII, of the Rules and Regulations Implementing R.A.
7836.