UNIVERSITY of GOROKA

School of Education

EDT 323 – Professionalism in Teaching

Semester 2: Assignment # 1 – Essay write up

NAME: Leedon HEPOE

ID #: 2015311284
PRO: Bachelor in Education Science
Tut:
Lect:
Yr of Stdy: Pre- Service Yr 3
Topic: Teacher professional conduct in PNG & Solomon Island.

This essay is all about the Teachers professional conduct in PNG and the Solomon Islands. It will
be based mainly on what the teacher should do and should not do, their actions, behaviours, dressing
code and attitudes towards their students and the general public in accordance to their field of
expertise and professionalism. Teaching when regard to as a profession can be consist of and outline
by many aspect whereas in this perspective it is entirely base or elaborate and define under the
concept of the teacher professional conduct.
Professional conduct in the simplest form can be describe as someone’s behaviour and manner that
he or she does towards his or her peers, students and others in correspond to the type of qualification
that particular person obtain.
According to the concept of the teachers’ professional conduct there are some policies require that
contribute or bound these concept together in order to make it functional, active and operational.
Some of these policies are namely; PNG TA code of Ethics, The professional code of ethics in
teaching profession, The Teaching Service Act (1988), Teachers code of professional practice
(Australia 2006), Code of professional conduct and practice for registered teachers (Wales),
Code of ethics for professional teachers (Philippine, Teachers professionalization act of 1994),
etc..
The main or focal analysis of the essay will be focus here in Papua New Guinea Particularly based
on a primary school in West New Britain Province. The school is almost 29 years old since its
establishment and it is located on the remote area of the province of about 32 km from the West New
Britain Township with the privilege of road excess. The school have good permanent classrooms and
other school facilities along with a good number of teachers.
The major aspects to be discussed are the teachers’ qualities, punctualities, dress code and in general
the way they conduct themselves towards their students and the surrounding communities.

The Teachers Professional Conduct consists or focuses on three main concepts. The teacher, their
professionalism and their conducts. The teacher as a person is someone whose job is to teach and
facilitates the students learning in order for the betterment of their future and their professionalism
refers to the process by which a practice of a teacher becomes a profession, the matter of
qualification or the quality of practice undergoes in becoming a professional.
Hole (1980) describe professionalism as the quality of practice, the manner of conduct within an
occupation and also how members intergrade their obligations with their knowledge and skills in
both context. According to Beare (1992), he stated that a professional is a learned person who has
had to study in a field of learning before qualifying as one who can profess.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary verifies conduct as a mode or standard of personal behaviour
especially as based on moral principles or to cause oneself to act or behave in a particular and
especially in a control manner.
Source: EDT 223/323/523 course handbook (2017) Professionalism in teaching
Teachers Professional Conduct is a set of key principles of good conducts and ethics put in place
to govern registered teachers. According to the policies which was amended and passed down by the
National Department of Education (NDoE), is generally put in place to monitor the teacher’s code
of conduct and ethics in schools around Papua New Guinea. These principles main function is to
focus on the main aspects of teachers code of ethics in the field of teaching which is primarily
verified what teachers are expected to comply with and or not able to do according to the law and
policies amended. It also guides the teachers decisions and judgements and also to keep inform the
parents, stake holders and the general public of the type of professional standard they can expect
from their registered teachers in compliance to his or her so call profession. The teacher’s major
principle is to make sure that the professionalism and trust in the profession is maintained. When a
teacher as a professional breach any of the rules that are govern by the teacher’s code of ethics, the
teaching service commission which is the right authority put in place to overseer the policies that
govern the teachers throughout Papua New Guinea will deal with that particular teacher’s
unprofessionalism.

The teacher’s service act and the Education Act which was endorsed by the PNG National
Department of Education (NDoE) is sanction to govern the teachers code of conduct and ethics,
which refers to the rules and regulation or policies used for monitoring the teachers conduct in Papua
New Guinea. The code of conduct and ethics policy is setup to make sure that the standard of ethical
conduct and moral behaviours of professional teachers are established in a professional manner in
compliance to the code. According to the Public Officer Ethics Act (2003), the code also seeks to
guide members of the staff on ways to handle conflict of interest and personal conduct as well as
personal relation at the workplace. The Public Officer Ethics Act (2003) elaborates on rules of
conduct and ethics to be observed and to maintain the integrity, dignity and nobility of the teaching
profession. This code does not by any means replace the code of Regulation for Teachers or the laws
and rules relating to the officers and employees of the Teachers Service Commission. Those rules
and laws included in the act as well as any other related laws stated in the code of ethic policy act
must be observe and act in accordance with at all times. It is the sole responsibility of the teacher to
get acquainted with all the rules and regulations of the PNG Teachers Association Code of Ethics.

Teachers Professional conduct in PNG, according to the PNG National Department of

Education underwritten by the policy of the Teaching service act (1988) which was put into
operation on the 1st of January 1989 stated that, this act makes provisions for the teaching service
commission, terms and conditions of service of the members of teaching service and the other
matters relating to the welfare and employment of teachers and for related purposes.
The terms and conditions of teachers are entirely govern by the two acts mention; the teaching
service act and the education act, together with their regulations, determinations and instructions that
are therefore carried under these acts.
Source: Teaching service act (1988).

The Teaching Service Commission is the only prime employer of all the teachers in Papua
New Guinea. The roles and functions that accompanies it also includes the following; An oversight
of all matters relating to terms and conditions of service and welfare of its registered members,
ensures that the decisions made under the Teaching Service Act and the Education Act does not
breach the rights of its members, determine after consultation with the Salaries Monitoring
Committee, the salaries and allowances, terms and conditions of appointment and service as
constituted by the Teaching Service Act, determine conditions relating to free place study and
assisted study facilities in institutions inside or outside the country and to provide in-service training
for its members and also advise the Department of Education authorities on standards and special
allowances that might be paid to teachers under various circumstances and last but not the least,
making sure to advise the National Education board on personnel aspects of teacher transfers and
In-service arrangements. According to the teaching service act (1988) under the teaching service
commissions role, if the National Department of Education complies with the commission’s rules
and regulations towards their registered teachers, the integrity, dignity and professionalism of their
teachers will be held intact and effective.
( cited in Teaching service act ,1988 ).

Professional conduct of teachers in this particular setting is stated effective according to the
teaching service commission that was specified under the teaching service act (1988) which was
overseer by the National Department of Education (NDoE) due to the fulfilment of its rules and
regulations towards its registered teachers. According to the Professional Code of Ethics under
unit 4 of the course handbook (EDT 323), it stated that it is the professional goals of the teachers to
enhance the learning of students, colleagues and others and also to improve the effectiveness of
organizations through teaching, research and practice of management skills with the guidance of the
professional ethics.

The Teachers professional conduct of that particular primary school is monitored closely by the
school’s head mistress that is then monitored by the school board and the surrounding communities.
The board and the neighbouring communities do their best to make sure that the teachers and the
head mistress comply with the policies that was passed down to the teachers by the National
Department of Education (NDoE) through the Provincial education board. The teachers as
professionals should at all times abide by the professional code of ethics in their teaching profession.
In compliance to the Professional code of ethics as laid out in unit 4 of the EDT 323 course
handbook, it outlined clearly that the code is a set of accepted laws and regulations or guidelines
which govern the procedure and or behaviour in any circumstances of any profession. This code is a
set of written rules and laws setup to monitor teachers and to equip them in order to acquire
acceptable standard of behaviour expected of them as a professional in their teaching profession. The
word Ethics is derived from a Greek word “ETHOS” which means the normal or expected way of
acting which is then defined as, study of moral standard and how effective it contributes towards
conduct of oneself. Moral relates to issues that are of right and wrong and also how individual people
behave in a manner that was approved by others.
Source: EDT 223/323/523 course handbook (2017) Professionalism in teaching

Agreeing to the Teachers Professional Code of Ethics, it relays that professional teachers have the
urge to create a better learning environment prepared for their students purposely to encouraging
them for their benefit in order to fulfil and bring forth the potentials they have. It is later quoted that
the heart of teaching profession which cater for education, learning, protection, wellbeing and
development is the only commitment a professional teacher should have towards their students.
In general, the teachers’ professional practice conveys additional moral and professional
responsibilities which include the student’s relationship, teachers’ professionalism and the wider
community it serves and also the development of the professional code.

Supportively, as per the students relationship which was sighted under the teachers
professional code of ethics in unit 4 of the EDT 323 course handbook, it stated that a teacher’s
duty is to prepare themselves carefully before attending class, acquire updated and possess sound
knowledge of the subject that is to be taught, implement effective teaching methods and also be a
role models to the students. They will also carried out the duty of a professional individual by
abiding to the code’s rule of law and principle in terms of avoiding the exploitation of their students
privacy, be objectively fair and firm in their decision making when dealing with their students and be
ready to help assist the students in counselling wether outside or academically and also when
intertwined with their welfare and lastly, as the member of the profession in the community, a
professional teacher who abides by these code should make themselves standout as a professional
when socializing or taking part in the community activities in terms of showcasing their individual
dignity and merit in other words, members of the code should ensure that outside activities do not
significantly diminish their availability and energy to meet their institutional obligations. They must
act responsibly and professionally wether in the classroom or outside the school premises.
Source: EDT 223/323/523 course handbook (2017) Professionalism in teaching

The monitoring and carrying out of these policies, especially the teaching service act (1988) under
the section; teaching service commission which deals mostly on the teachers welfare, if not complied
properly with the benefits of the teacher, it can and will be of great risk or in other words be a
weakness towards the teachers professional conduct unless the teacher as an individual is someone
born to the teachers profession rather than someone who just happen to work for money. The other
point is that the policies that are required to prep-up, govern and guide the teachers in their
profession are at one point does not implement and clearly elaborate on in some school settings. If
the National Department of Education (NDoE), by any means meets all the rules, laws and
regulations stated in the teachers act (1988) under sub-section; teaching service commission, it will
contributes enormously towards the achievements of the teachers professional conduct which will
generate to the best interest of the country and also be regard as the strength of the policy. By
accomplishing that, any new policies that are going to be passed down by the National Department
of Education will be taken in and put into practice with great interest by the teaching body.
In order to make this process better and effective, the NDoE must be a role model for its teachers
in terms of complying to the benefits of its employees as per stated and also work together with them
in carrying out and implementing those policies.

In every profession, semi-profession and or occupation, there are some high and low standards
that affect an individual when dealing with its policies. As for the teaching profession when looking
at the high and low standard of a professional teacher, the standards are measured by the
performance of the teacher as a professional. The policies are set along with the type of standards
that is required by the National Department of Education in which its teachers must comply to. The
factors that contributes to the high standards of teachers professional conduct are; Professional
development, the criteria’s that contributes to an individual as a professional teacher and the
extended professionality of the teacher and the low contributing factors are as follows; the De-
professionalization of the teacher due to lack of commitment towards the policies and the restricted
professionality of the teacher.

According to the tutorial notes on unit 2; “What is Professionalism in teaching, it stated under
the factors mention regarding the high standard of teachers professional conduct that in order to
maintain this standard, the teachers must involve themselves in taking up in-service trainings,
attending workshops, conference, forums and meetings relating to professional development. They
must obtain the qualification, theoretical knowledge of the subjects they are teaching, abide to the
code of ethics and make a commitment to keep on researching on the subject or course they are
teaching. They will also have the urge to embrace creativity in their field of practice and equipped
themselves with a variety of teaching skills.

The low standard of teachers’ professional conduct is just the opposite due to the factors that
contributes to it. It occurs when a teacher as a professional does not complies with the policies, lacks
the quality of the practice he or she involves in and also compromising the terms and conditions of
the practice which then results in the down grading of their professionalization to
deprofessionalization. The low standard practice teacher will also base his or her teaching on the
same type of skills and methods on which they were taught with in terms of focusing on their norms,
dwelling on what is already known to them and does not adapt to the change and creativeness of shift
in the teaching profession.
(Cited in tutorial notes, unit 2, 2017.)

In order to make this better, the National Department of Education (NDoE) must make sure that
all its registered teachers in the field will have to undergo in-service trainings, involves themselves in
attending conference, forums and also make awareness of the changes that happen in the teaching
profession of this 21st century. The NDoE must also elaborate on pathways that their teachers can
follow to come up with a solution to breakout of the idea of being confine to their norms and or
dwelling on their passed knowledge in other words, their “Restricted Professionality”.

To conclude, the teachers professional conduct policies in Papua New Guinea has been implemented
in schools around the country purposely to govern the country’s registered professional teachers. The
National Department of Education’s main purpose of implementing those policies mention is to
make sure that the teachers must abide to their teaching profession at all times in terms of
maintaining their professionalism and trust which then reflects them towards their profession. The
registered professional teachers must equipped themselves with teaching skills and updated sound
knowledge of the courses they are taking at all times, be creative, take up further studies and doing
research in their field of teaching and also committed to the code of ethics which will then maintain
their teaching professionalism.
Reference:

● Mr Mandawe, E.T. (2017). Retrieved from http: //www.uog.net/studentserver/refrencing-ppt.

● Code of regulation for teachers, Public officers act. (2003) . Retrieved from http://www.codeof
regulationforteachers.com. [Pdf] Access 13th August 2017.
● Fitness to teach/ code of professional conduct for teachers. (2012,May 28). Retrieved from
http://www..teachingcounsel.ie/en/Publications/fitness to teach/Code of professional conduct for
teachers.pdf.
● Papua New Guinea Teachers Association Code of Ethics. (1988-1989,January 1st ). Retrieved from
http://www.PNGTeachersassociation.com.
● Mr John, W. (2013). Professionalism in Teaching. Goroka, EHP: University of Goroka, School of
Education, Division of teaching and learning.