TSC: Teachers’ ‘Trivial’ Offences That Lead To Automatic Dismissal And Deregistration
Most of the time, practicing teachers have found themselves in trouble in the line of duty. It is heart-wrenching that a score of them have faced disciplinary actions that have seen many ruin their careers, and get deregistered from the teachers’ Official register while others have endured interdictions that have led to untold suffering for their immediate families!
It is also not lost on the public that the biggest percentage of these errant teachers are those who fall in the bracket of the young teachers (recently recruited) It has been extremely unfortunate that these teachers have had their teaching careers get nibbed at the bud even before they took off, with some even ending up in jail over cases bordering on defilement!
It is from this background that the News Track Africa Team has seen it extremely necessary to cascade on some DOs and DONTS in a very simple way amongst practicing teachers in Kenya. The Kenyan practicing teachers must familiarise themselves with the basic Code Of Conduct And Ethics For Teachers (2015) from which this simplified write-up is derived from.
Following the ever-increasing cases of teachers facing disciplinary actions after consequent interdictions and eventual dismissals and deregistration from the national Teachers Register, the teachers’ employer (TSC) has gone beyond its call of duty to organize inductions at Sub-County levels across the country in conjunction with Teacher Organisations such as KESSHA among others to sensitize the newly recruited tutors on matters their modus Operandi! The Commission has gone miles further to publish and supply pamphlets and documents which are meant to guide all teachers at the school level.
Despite all these concerted efforts, the Commission continues to lose teachers in droves with numerous pending disciplinary cases awaiting hearing by the Commissioners. This makes the primary objective of this paper to be sensitization of the Kenyan Practicing Teacher on just a few Codes Of Conduct and Ethics snippets that should always guide them (This is purely as extracted from The Teachers Service Commission (Code Of Conduct And Ethics For Teachers) Regulations, 2015.
- 22-Sexual Relations With Learners.
A teacher shall not engage in any sexual activity whatsoever with a learner even if the learner consents!
Request to, or exert pressure on a learner for sexual activity or favor!
Flirt with a learner!
Should not send a learner to their personal residences for whatever reason!
Induce, coerce, threaten or intimidate a learner in any way specifically regarding their academic performance in exchange for sexual relations!
Covering up or making attempts to cover up cases of sexual abuse against a learner!
A teacher shall not release a learner from school for any reason before notifying the parent /guardian!
Should not send a learner away from school earlier than 6.00 am or later than noon except in cases of emergencies!
- 23-Sexual harassment
A teacher shall not sexually harass a fellow employee or members of the public!
Make intentional or careless physical contact that is sexual!
- -24 Relations with fellow employees
Treat fellow employees and the public with dignity, courtesy, and respect
Avoid behavior that is unbecoming, abusive, belittling, or threatening to fellow employees.
Not bully or perpetuate offensive behavior which is vindictive, cruel, malicious, or humiliating and is intended to undermine a fellow employee.
- 25- Pornography
A teacher shall not supply pornographic materials to a fellow employee, a learner, or a member of the Public
Shall not expose a learner to pornography, or sexual toys or assist a learner in obtaining access to the same
Sell, let to hire, distribute, exhibit, or in any manner put into circulation
Shall not produce or possess the pornographic book, pamphlet, paper, drawing, painting, art, figure, or any other obscene object.