Teaching can be considered a profession if it meets certain criteria, such as requiring specialized training and expertise, being self-regulated through a code of ethics, and providing a personal service. While teaching in Malaysia has some professional characteristics, it still lacks full professional status. Professional teachers are expected to demonstrate individual qualities like kindness and leadership, social qualities like friendliness and dedication, and professional qualities like being inquisitive and communicative. The Code of Ethics for Malaysian teachers outlines responsibilities to students, parents, society, colleagues, and the teaching profession, emphasizing student welfare, confidentiality, cooperation, and maintaining high standards for the teaching field.

1. Teaching as a Profession and Qualities of
Professional Teachers and Code of Ethics of the
Malaysian Teaching Profession
Quah Swee Suan
1

2. Concept of Profession
Gordon Marshall (1998)
 a type of work orientation
 a form of work organization , includes some central
regulatory body to ensure the standard of
performance of individual members is conformed to
the profession.
 each type of profession has its own code of conduct.
 A professional required careful management of
knowledge in relation to the expertise which
constitutes the basis of the professional activities.
 Associated with personal service, involving
confidentiality and full trust (doctors, lawyers,
accountants……..)
2

3. Concept of Profession
Liebernman (USA) summarize profession as :
• “ A profession is a typical form of occupation
conducted by professionals who are trained with
special skill, and are honest, dedicated,
responsible, and possess high moral standards,
vested with autonomy during service, observe
and follow faithfully to the Code of Ethics of the
professional organization.”
3

4. Teacher as a professional
• Possesses academic as well as professional
qualification based on teacher training course
attended.
• Possesses autonomy in class management and
methods of teaching in the classroom.
• Member of teacher organization.
• Observe and follow the Code of Ethics of the
teacher organization.
• A professional service to the pupils, society and
nation.
• Recognized as educational specialists.
4

5. Teacher as a non-professional
??
5

6. The teaching profession in Malaysia
today is still lack of certain professional
characteristics in order to be classified
as a profession.
 teaching job is not restricted to those trained
teachers only.
 not every teacher is a member of any teacher
association.
 neither one of the teacher organization is vested
with the power to control the number of new
members , nor have the right to expel the
members if they do not observe the Code of
Ethics.
6

7.  A teacher has only limited autonomy
because a lot of decision are usually
made by the school authority.
 Teachers possess different academic
qualifications (SPM, STPM, university
degree….) and were placed under
different salary schemes, Sistem
Saranan Malaysia (SSM). Teachers do
not have the autonomy to decide the
payment for their service.
7

8. Characteristics and Qualities of
Professional Teachers
 Characteristics and qualities of
professional teachers are closely
related to the teaching values
which encompasses individual,
social, and professional
characteristics and qualities of
teachers.
8

9. Individual Characteristics and Qualities
 Kind –hearted
 Humorous
 Patient
 Responsible
 Confidence
 Leadership
 Other teaching values:
 considerate, fairness, adaptable, firm,
dedicated, authorative and tolerant.
9

10. Social Characteristics and Qualities
• Teacher is not only confined to teaching in the
classroom.
• Has to interact with colleagues, parents and
local community outside classroom.
• Has to cultivate good relationship and
cooperative spirit among teachers, parents and
local community for the development and
progress of the pupils and school.
10

11. Social Characteristics and Qualities
 Well-manner
 Friendly
 Modest
 Dedicated
 Honest
 Other teaching values:
• dedication, communicative, positive spirit,
motivation, and innovative
11

12. Professional Characteristics and Qualities
High professional qualities are important and
necessary for a qualified trained teacher.
 Inquisitive
 Powerful memory
 Professional quality
 Communicative
 Innovative
 Others: dedication, communicative, positive
spirit, motivation, and innovative.
12

13. Code of Ethics of the Malaysian
Teaching Profession
 Responsibility towards students
† emphasize on students’ welfare and safety
more than other matters.
† fair in dealing with every student without
considering any factors such as physical,
mental, emotional, political, economic and
social aspects.
† treat personal information of students as
confidential and only reveal to those who
have the right to acquire.
13

14. Responsibility towards students
† to guide or reach any student in the class
without any fee charge.
† to exemplify the proper way of dressing ,
speaking and behavior
† to improve and upgrade teacher
professionalism by means of study, research,
and attend professional course, conference,
meeting or seminar.
14

15. Responsibility towards parents
† to respect the sole responsibility of parents towards
their children.
† to establish cordial relationship and cooperation
between the school and the pupils’ parents.
† to treat all information supplied by parents as
confidential.
† to inform parents about matter that concerning on the
welfare of the pupils.
† to avoid using parents’ social and economic status for
personal gain.
† to avoid using inappropriate remark o f behavior which
can affect the pupils’ confidence on their parents or
guardian.
15

16. Responsibility towards society and
nation
• to avoid any teaching which can bring harm to
the pupils ,society or nation, or which is
contradictory to the pupils National Principles.
• to instill pupils with positive attitudes and
noble values so that they will become loyal,
responsible and useful citizens, and respect
elders and people of different culture, racial
descendant and religion.
• To respect the school and to fulfil all the
responsibilities as good citizens.
16

17.  To foster the spirit of cooperation and
common understanding among colleagues
and parents, and members of education
institution and society.
 To provide positive contribution in to
upgrade the standard of living, including
moral, cultural and educational aspects of the
society.
 To adhere to the principles of good
behaviour according to the values
of the society.
17

18. Responsibility towards colleagues and
the teaching profession
† to avoid making any remark or comment in
front of students or parents, or commit any act
that will affect the good reputation or self-
respect of any colleague.
† not to involve in any activity which will affect
the efficiency performance of the teachers as
a whole.
† to work dedicatedly to fulfil the responsibility
of a teacher, strive hard to maintain the good
image of a teacher.
18

19. Responsibility towards colleagues and
the teaching profession
† always ready to assist colleagues,
especially those who are recently
appointed in the teaching profession.
† always caution of any action that
might tarnish the good reputation of
the teaching profession.
† to join as member of the teacher
organization.
19

20. 20
Analyze the Code of Ethics of
the Malaysian Teaching
Profession

21. Thank you for your cooperation !
21