Teachers have a code of ethics they must follow and responsibilities as both educators and parental figures to students. As educators, they must [1] be competent and efficient, and [2] properly evaluate students' academic performance based solely on merit. As parental figures, they [3] must properly exercise authority over students in their care and ensure students' welfare. Failure to meet these standards can have serious legal consequences for teachers.

1. The Code of
Professional Ethics for
Teachers
Reporters:
Gutierrez, Darwin Robert A.
King, Anthony Joseph A.

2. Code of Ethics for Professional
Teachers adopted and promulgated
by the Board for Professional
Teachers through Board Resolution
No. 435, series of 1997, pursuant to
the provisions of paragraph (e),
Article II of RA No. 7836, otherwise
known as the “Philippine Teachers
Professionalization Act of 1994”

3. VIOLATION OF CODE OF ETHICS
FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS
Article XII, Section 1--
“Any violation shall
be sufficient ground
for the revocation of
license”

4. TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS
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,
standard and values.
(Preamble, Code of Ethics for
Professional Teachers)

5. “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.”
(Code of Ethics, Article III, Section 3)
“A teacher shall place premium upon self-
respect and self-discipline as the principle of
personal behavior in all relationships with
others and in all situations.”
(Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 2)

6. “A teacher shall maintain at all times a
dignified personality which could serve as
model worthy of emulation by learners,
peers, and others.”
(Code of Ethics, Article XI, Section 3)

7. Joseph Santos vs. NLRC, Hagonoy Institute, Inc.
“As teacher, (one) serves as an example to
his/her pupils.
Consequently teachers must adhere to the
exacting standards of morality and decency. A
teacher both in his official and personal conduct
must display exemplary behavior.”
He must freely and willingly accept
restrictions on his conduct that might be viewed
irksome the personal behavior of teachers, IN
AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, must be
beyond reproach they must observe a high
standard of integrity and honesty.”

8. TO ACT WITH HONOR:
To strictly honor contractual obligation
with the School
Art. VI, Sec. 6, Code of Ethics:
“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. DUTY OF TEACHERS
(Based on Law)
As an EDUCATOR
1987 Constitution states:
“The State shall protect and
promote the right of all citizens to
quality education at all levels and
shall take appropriate steps to
make such education accessible
to all.”
(Article XIV, Section 1)

10. As a PARENT
Article 218 of the Family Code provides—
“The school, its administrators and
teachers, engaged in child care shall have
special parental authority and
responsibility over the minor child while
under their supervision, instruction or
custody.”
Article 219 of the Family Code provides—
“Those given the authority and
responsibility under (Article 218) shall
principally and solidarily liable for
damages caused by acts or omissions of
the unemancipated minor.”

11. Principal Duty or Obligation is To
Ensure “Quality Education”
What is QUALITY EDUCATION?
“Making sure that basic education is
really solid, because if it is not solid, it
affects the quality of secondary education.
If secondary education is poor, then the
person goes to college unprepared for
college work. And if he is allowed to
graduate again with a poor quality college
education, he goes to university
professional education even more
unprepared.”
- Rev. Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ

12. In short—
“A school, before promoting or
graduating a student, must be sure
that he/she (the student) is
functionally literate to go through
next higher level.”

13. To ensure Quality Education:
1) Must be COMPETENT and EFFICIENT
Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers,
Article IV, 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.”

14. BP 232 (Education Act of 1982), Section 16 (2)
provides—
“The teacher shall be accountable for
efficient and effective attainment of
specified learning objectives.”
Code of Ethics further mandates that—
“Every teacher shall participate in the
continuing professional education (CPE)
program of the PRC, and shall pursue such
other studies as will improve his efficiency,
enhance the prestige of the profession, and
strengthen his competence, virtue and
productivity in order to be nationally and
internationally competitive.”
(Article IV, Section 3)

15. “A teacher shall ensure
that conditions contributive
to the maximum
development of learners
are adequate and shall
extend assistance in
preventing or solving
learners’ problems and
difficulties.”IV, Section 3)
(Article

16. In short—
A teacher is expected to be efficient and
competent in the performance of his academic
duties at all times.
Otherwise,
A teacher who has consistently shows his
inability to efficiently perform his duties and
responsibilities, within a common performance
standards should not be allowed to stay in school
.
The MRPS provides as just cause of
terminating a faculty—
“Gross inefficiency and incompetence in the
performance of his duties.”
(Section 3 (a))

17. “schools can set high
standards of efficiency
for its teachers since
quality education is a
mandate of the
Constitution security of
tenure cannot be used
to shield
incompetence.”

18. 2) Must EVALUATE LEARNERS
(i) Duty to give grades/evaluation
Section 16(3) of BP 232, TEACHER
SHALL—
“Render regular reports on
performance of each student and to the
latter and to the latter’s parents and
guardians with specific suggestions for
improvement.”
and...
Must promptly render or give
grades. Otherwise, the unjustified or
unreasonable delay in giving grades
constitutes gross neglect of duty.

19. In the case of University of the East vs. Romeo A.
Jader, the SC declared—
“It is the contractual obligation of the
school (through the teachers) to TIMELY
INFORM AND FURNISH sufficient notice and
information to each and every student as to
whether he/she had already complied with
all the requirements.”
“The negligent act of a teacher who fails
to observe the rules of the school, for
instance, by not promptly submitting a
student’s grade is not only imputable to the
teacher but is an act of the school being
his/her employer.”

20. In evaluating/giving grades the following
rules of conduct must be observed—
Code of Ethics provides—
“A teacher has the duty to determine
the academic marks and the promotion of
learners in the subject they handle. Such
determination shall be in accordance with
generally accepted procedure of
evaluation and measurement on case of
any complaint, teachers concerned shall
immediately take appropriate action,
observing the process.”
(Article VIII, Section 1)

21. “Under no circumstances shall a
teacher be prejudiced nor discriminatory
against any learner.”
(Article VIII, Section 3)
“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.”
(Article VIII, Section 4)
“A teacher shall base the evaluation of
the learner’s work on merit and quality of
academic performance.”
(Article VIII, Section 6)

22. (i) In computing the grades
Section 16 (5) of BP 232 mandates
that a teacher shall—
“Refrain from making deductions or
additions in student’s scholastic ratings for
acts that are clearly not manifestations of
scholarship.”
Hence, Section 79 of the MRPS—
“Basis for Grading. – The grade or rating
in a student should be based SOLELY on his
scholastic performance. Any addition or
diminution to the grade in a subject for co-
curricular activities, attendance, or
misconduct shall NOT be allowed .”

23. Code of Ethics provides—
“A teacher shall not make deductions from
their scholastic ratings as a punishment for acts
which are clearly not manifestations of poor
scholarship.”
(Article VIII, Section 8)
Thus, it is not a matter of discretion on the part
of the teachers in the giving of the students’
grades, but rather it is a clear obligation for the
teachers to determine student academic marks
solely based on scholastic performance. For a
teacher to do otherwise, would be serious
academic malpractice or grave misconduct in
the performance of his/her duties.

24. In Padilla vs. NLRC, SBC the Supreme Court
said—
“This Court is convinced that the
pressure and influence exerted by (a
teacher) on his colleague to change a
failing grade to passing one
constitute serious misconduct which
is a valid ground for dismissing an
employee.”

25. B. As a PARENT: Principal Duty to Exercise
Parental Authority and Responsibility
Article 218, Family Code provides—
“The school, its administrators
and teachers engaged in child care
shall have special parental authority
and responsibility over the minor
child while under their supervision,
instruction or custody.”

26. Code of Ethics states—
“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.”
(Article VII, Section 2)

27. Parental Authority to Discipline
“As parents, the teachers shall use
discipline not to punish but to correct,
not to force, but to motivate; and not to
obey with rigid cadence, but to choose
to follow the right way.
Hence, teachers cannot generally
use methods of punishing or such
degree of penalties that a good mother
or a good father would not likely use on
her/his own children.”

28. Corporal Punishment - Article 233 (2nd par.)
“In no case inflict corporal
punishment upon the child.”
Definition: An act that inflict pain or
harm upon a child’s body as punishment
for wrong doing usually through beating
and spanking
Elements:
(a) physical contact
(b) to inflict pain

29.  VIII,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.

30. Sale of Tickets; Collection of Contribution/
Donations from Pupils / Parents
BP 232, Sec. 9 (9) - students have right to be free from (voluntary) involuntary contributions
 Improper or unauthorized
solicitation of contributions from
subordinate employees and by
teachers or school officials from
school children
 VIII, 5. A teacher shall not accept,
directly or indirectly, any remuneration
from tutorials other than what is
authorized for such service.

31. “(Department of Education) considers
the act of teachers in contracting loans
from parents of their students not only
serious misconduct but violation of
students’ right to be free from
involuntary contribution.”
- USEC Nachura, 13 Feb. ‘98

32. Parental Responsibility
The student / pupil while in school,
is in the custody and hence, the
responsibility of the school authorities
as long as he is under the control and
influence of the school,
whether the semester
has not yet begun
or has already ended.

33. Even if the student is just relaxing
in the campus in the company of his
classmates, the student is still within
the custody and subject to the
discipline and responsibility of the
teachers.

34. Hence--
A teacher required to exercise
special parental authority but who
fails to observe all the diligence of
a good father of a family in the
custody and care of the pupils and
students, shall be held liable for
gross neglect of duty.

35. “The Court takes this opportunity to
pay a sincere tribute to the school
teachers, who are always at the forefront
in the battle against illiteracy and
ignorance. If only because it is they who
open the minds of their pupils to an
unexplored world awash will the magic of
letters and numbers, which is an
extraordinary feat indeed, these humble
mentors deserve all our respect and
appreciation.” Justice Isagani A. Cruz
Chiang Kai Shek School vs. CA
G.R. No. 58028, April 18, 1989

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