4 What is your opinion of the following attitudes of a teacher?
QUESTIONNAIRE ON CODES OF CONDUCT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
(one answer maximum per line)
acceptable
(COUNTRIES WITHOUT CODE)
In order to know more about the mechanisms of the development and implementation of codes of conduct for primary school
Lies about qualifications/diplomas
teachers, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) has decided to conduct a survey on 25 countries,
Is absent without justification
within their Ministries of Education, teacher training institutes, professional organizations and teacher unions and parent-
Goes to work under the influence of alcohol (or on drugs)
teacher associations. These « codes of conduct » (or codes of ethics or behaviour) are the name given to documents that
Favours/disadvantages certain students
formulate ethical principles, and rules for good behaviour that apply to the teaching profession.
not
not at all
acceptable
acceptable
Has sexual relations with a student
If such a code does not exist in your country, we would be grateful if you could duly complete the questionnaire found
Is physically violent with a student
below. If a code does exist, please refer to the second questionnaire that was sent to you.
Uses harassment with a student
Please note that no nominative use of your answers will be made. It is therefore important that your answers be sincere.
Collects illegal fees from students
We thank you in advance for returning the questionnaire duly completed before 28 January 2009, by e-mail
Diverts school funding
([email protected]) or by fax (+33-1.40.72.83.66). You can contact us by phone for any question you might have
Offers private tutoring to students
(+33-1.45.03.77.95).
Steals school equipment
Signed: Muriel Poisson, Program Specialist, IIEP-UNESCO
Disseminates confidential information
Takes advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred
TICK THE BOX CORRESPONDING TO YOUR ANSWER
Gives money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred
Uses teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction
1 Does a code of conduct or ethical code for teachers exist in your country?
(only one answer possible)
5 For which category of people should a code be intended?
Î please fill in the second questionnaire
Yes
Î proceed to question 2
No, as far as I know
(only one answer possible)
Teachers in general
Primary schoolteachers
2 Are there any other documents (laws, regulations, directives) to regulate teachers’ conduct?
(one answer possible)
Secondary school teachers
Teachers of higher education
Yes
Members of a teacher college or commission (professional organization)
No
Members of a teacher union
Civil servants of the education sector
If yes, specify the nature of these documents:
3 In your opinion, what is a good teacher?
(Classify by order of priority, from 1 to 6 – avoid ties! 1 = most important; 6 = less important)
A teacher who has sound knowledge
Inspectors
Civil servants (other than national education)
6 Who should take the initiative to develop a code of conduct for teachers in your country?
(only one answer possible and proceed to question 8)
A teacher with good teaching capacity
A teacher who is self-critical
A teacher who respects colleagues and students
A teacher who treats students in a fair manner
A teacher who has good capacity for managing
Yes
No
Anti-corruption commission
National public authorities
Regional/ local public authorities
Teacher training institute
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
Teacher union
Schools
Î If yes, go to question 7
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
7
When it is schools that take the initiative to develop a code, who among the following actors should take a major
role?
10 If schools participate in the development of a code, how would you conceive the involvement of the following
actors?
Yes
No
If yes, should women be involved?
Yes
(one answer maximum per line)
very
No
important
important
Headteacher
School board/council
Headteacher
Teachers
School board/council
Parents
Teachers
Students
Parents
Local community
Students
not very
not at all
important
important
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
11 According to you, which actors should be involved at each of the following stages of the development of a code?
8 In your opinion, should the development of a code favour the initiation of the following activities?
(for each actor, tick the case of the stage where he/she should be involved: several answers possible per line)
draft
(one answer maximum per line)
Yes
discussion
finalization
adoption
no implication
Anti-corruption commission
No
Creation of a national commission
National public authorities
Constitution of a group of experts
Regional/ local public authorities
Analysis of already existing codes
Teacher training institute
Conduct of case studies/surveys
Teacher college or commission (professional
Telephone interviews
organization)
Organization of workshops with teachers
Teacher unions
Organization of meetings in the schools
Teachers or groups of teachers
Consultation with teacher union
Parents
Organization of public forums
Students
Dissemination of the first version of the code
Womens’ organizations
Other. Specify:
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
9 In your opinion, which actors should be involved in the development of a code of conduct?
12 In your opinion, what should be the length of time between the development process of a code and its adoption?
(one answer maximum per line and proceed to question 11)
Yes
(only one answer possible)
No
Anti-corruption commission
Less than six months
National public authorities
Between six months and a year
Regional/ local public authorities
Between one and two years
Teacher training institute
Between two and three years
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
More than three years
Teachers union
Individual teachers
Schools
Î If yes, go to question 10
Women’s organization
Civil society organization (NGOs)
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
13 In your opinion, are the following actors likely to play a favourable, neutral or unfavourable role in the development
of a code in your country?
17 In your opinion, what should be the number of pages of a code (appendices not included)?
(one answer possible)
(one answer maximum per line)
Less than five pages
favourable
neutral/
unfavourable
no role
Anti-corruption commission
From five to six pages
From ten to twenty pages
More than twenty pages
National public authorities
Regional public authorities
Teacher training institute
18 Should a code be translated into the various languages of your country?
(one answer possible)
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
Yes
Teacher union
No
Teachers
Parent-teachers association
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
Public opinion
Medias
19 Should a code take into consideration the different status of the teachers (civil servant, contractual, voluntary,
community teachers, etc.)?
(one answer possible)
Yes
Î go to question 20
No
Î go to question 21
14 In your opinion, what specific problems the development process of a code is likely to face?
20 If yes, in which way?
(several answers are possible)
Some majors actors will not be consulted
Some majors actors will refuse to be involved
It will be difficult to reconcile the different points of view of the parties involved
No specific problems to be mentioned
21 If no, why?
Other. Specify:
15 In your opinion, how could the development process of a code be improved?
22 How would you conceive the principal characteristics of a code of conduct in your country?
(one answer maximum par line)
Yes
No
It should be a self-regulation document
16 What should be the main objectives stated by a code?
(several answers are possible)
It should contain rules for administrative procedure
Promote a feeling of professional identity among teachers
Improve the ethics of the teaching profession
Promote a positive image of the teaching profession
Guide members of the teaching profession in their conduct
Improve regulation and control of teacher misconduct
Protect students from unethical conduct of teachers
Improve the quality of teaching
Increase confidence of the community in the teaching profession
Other. Specify:
It should be a legal document
It should describe rules for conduct
It should describe ethical principles
It should be of a theoretical nature
It should be of a well-aimed and concrete nature
It should be formulated in a positive manner (what should be done…)
It should be formulated in a negative manner (what should not be done…)
It should be about teachers’ duties
It should be about teachers’ rights
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
23 What should be the principal themes treated by a code?
26 In your opinion, should teacher unions influence the content of a code?
(one answer maximum per line)
(one answer possible)
Yes
No
Very much
Little
Values (integrity, respect, commitment, equity, etc.)
Not at all
If yes, please give three examples :
27 In your opinion, should teacher unions formally approve the content of a code?
Professional competences (knowledge, pedagogy, etc.)
(one answer possible)
If yes, please give three examples :
Yes
No
Relationships with others (colleagues, students, parents, etc.)
If yes, please give three examples :
28 Should the content of a code be revised after its adoption?
(only one answer possible)
Gender issues (sexual discrimination, harassment, etc.)
Never
If yes, please give three examples :
Once
Several times
Other. Specify:
29 To whom should a code be disseminated?
24 Should a code give details on teachers’ conduct in function of the following groups of actors?
(several answers possible)
(one answer maximum per line)
To central administration
Yes
No
To regional/local administration
Relationships with the administration
To teachers
Relationships with colleagues
To teacher college or commission (professional organization)
Relationships with students
To teachers unions
Relationships with parents
To teacher training institutes
Relationships with the local community
To inspection services
To schools
25 Should a code mention the following themes? (one answer maximum per line)
Yes
To students
No
To Parents
Lying about qualifications/diplomas
Absence without justification
To general public
Other. Specify :
Going to work under the influence of alcohol (or on drugs)
Favouring/disadvantaging certain students
Having sexual relations with a student
30 In which form should a code be disseminated?
(several answers possible)
Being physically violent with a student
Simple document
Using moral harassment with a student
Guide or manual
Collecting illegal fees from students
Posters
Diverting school funding
Videos
Offering private tutoring to students
Other. Specify:
Stealing school equipment
Disseminating confidential information
Taking advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred
Giving money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred
Using teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
31 How should a code be disseminated?
35 Should activities for raising public awareness organized specifically for women?
(several answers possible)
(one answer possible)
By mail
Yes, absolutely
Through direct communication (workshops, forums, etc.)
Yes, a little
Through internet
No, very little
Through the press
No, not at all
Through the radio
36 What institutions should be in charge of the implementation of a code?
Other. Specify:
(one answer maximum per line)
Yes
32 What do you think of the following dissemination modes?
No
Anti-corruption commission
(one answer maximum per line)
very
effective
effective
not very
not at all
National public authorities
effective
effective
Regional/local public authorities
Mail
Teacher training institutes
Direct communication (workshops, forums, etc.)
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
Internet
Teacher unions
Press
Schools
Radio
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
Other. Specify:
Other. Specify:
33 In your opinion, what actors should participate in raising public awareness of the importance of a code?
(one answer maximum per line and proceed to question 35)
37 Can teacher unions contribute to the good implementation of a code?
(one answer possible)
Yes
No
A lot
Anti-corruption commission
A little
National public authorities
Not at all
Regional/local public authorities
38 Should a code be included in teacher training?
Teacher training institutes
(one answer possible)
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
Teacher unions
Yes
Î go to question 39
Teachers
No
Î go to question 40
Î
Schools
If yes, go to question 34
39 If yes, how should it be included in the training?
Women organizations
(one answer maximum per line)
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
34 If schools participate in raising awareness of the importance of the code, should the following actors be involved?
Yes
No
If yes, should women be involved?
Yes
No
yes, as a compulsory
yes, as an optional
element
element
no, not to be included
It should be included in the initial training
It should be included in further continuous training
Headteacher
School board/council
Teachers
Parents
40 In your opinion, should teachers adhere formally to a code, for example at the signature of their contract or when
joining a union?
(one answer possible)
Students
Yes
Local community
No
Civil society organizations (NGOs)
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
41 In your opinion, can the implementation of a code have a significant impact on the following aspects?
(one answer maximum per line)
46 If yes, what could be specific issues for complaint?
(one answer maximum per line)
very significant
significant
not very
impact
impact
significant impact
no impact
Promote feeling of professional identity
Lying about his/ her qualifications/diplomas
Improve ethics of the profession
Being absent without justification
Reduce poor conduct
Going to work under the influence of alcohol (or drugs)
Improve quality of education
Favoring/disadvantaging certain students
Increase confidence of the community
Having sexual relations with a student
important
not very
not at all
issue
important
important
Being physically violent with a student
Using moral harassment with a student
42 In your opinion, what specific problems the implementation of the code is likely face?
Collecting illegal fees from students
(several answers possible)
There are insufficient resources for a large dissemination of the code
Diverting school funding
General public will not know of the existence of the code
Offering private tutoring to students
The code will be considered as not very relevant
Stealing school equipment
The code will be considered as ineffective
Disseminating confidential information
The code will not lead to legal proceedings
Taking advantage of personal relations to be recruited/promoted/transferred
The teacher incentives are insufficient
Giving money/a gift to a civil servant to be recruited/promoted/transferred
The social values will be in contradiction with those of the code
Using teacher unions to avoid a disciplinary sanction
No specific problem is to mention
Other. Specify:
Other. Specify:
Can you give a possible example?
43 In what ways could the implementation of the code be improved, according to you?
47 If yes, what structure should be charged with receiving and treating the complaint?
(several answers possible)
A commission charged with the application of the codes
An administrative disciplinary organ
44 In your opinion, should it be possible to register a complaint against a teacher that has not respected the code?
An internal self-regulating organ within teaching profession
(one answer possible)
An organ of justice (court)
Yes
Î go to question 45
No
Î go to question 50
45 If yes, which actors should have the right to register a complaint?
Other. Specify:
48 If yes, should the different stages of the procedure be made public?
(one answer maximum per line)
(several answers possible)
Yes
A student
The investigative procedure should be made public
A parent
Decisions taken against the teacher should be made public
No
Another teacher
A Headteacher
Administrative authorities
Whistle blowers (or hotlines)
Other. Specify:
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education
49 If yes, what types of sanctions could be applied, according to you?
(several answers possible)
To conclude, please give us the following information about yourself:
(one answer maximum per question)
Amicable agreement
Reprimand
You are a teacher:
yes
no
You are:
a man
a woman
between 30 and 50
more than 50
Age:
Warning
less than 30
You belong to the following institution:
Censure
Ministry of education
Fine
Educational department at the regional/local level
Transfer
Teacher training institute
Exclusion of the teaching profession
Teacher college or commission (professional organization)
No sanction
Teachers union
Other. Specify:
Parent teachers association
School
50 Should teacher unions take sanctions against teachers for misconduct, according to you?
Other
Specify the name of your country:
(one answer possible)
Yes
Î go to question 51
No
Î go to question 52
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!
51 If yes, what sanctions would you judge as most appropriate?
Print Form
(two answers possible)
Render a report to the teacher’s place of work
Render a report to the administrative authorities
Give the teacher a warning
Exclude the teacher from the union
Render public that the teacher’s behavior is unacceptable
Other. Specify:
52 In your opinion, what specific problems the monitoring and control of the good application of a code are likely to
face?
(several answers possible)
The general public will ignore the procedures for filing a complaint
The complainants will be afraid to file a complaint
Too few sanctions will be taken
Insufficient sanctions will be taken
The application of the code will not be supported by the public authorities
The application of the code will not be supported by the teachers
The application of the code will not be supported by the teachers unions
The application of the code will not be supported by the law
The necessary resources will not be mobilized
No major problem to be mentioned
Other. Specify:
53 How could the monitoring and control of the good implementation of a code be improved according to you?
IIEP-UNESCO Program Ethics and Corruption in Education