The Education Service provided for under article 190 (l)(a) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and as established under the Ghana Education Service Act, 1995 (Act 506) and subsequently under Education Act, 2008 (Act 778), is responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of the approved national policies and programmes relating to pre-tertiary education.
The education of pupils/students in Ghana has been largely entrusted into the hands of the Ghana Education Service. This places members of the Service, whatever their role, in a special position of responsibility, which requires exceptionally high standard of behaviour and conduct.
As articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which was ratified by Ghana in 1990 and the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560), children in Ghana have a right to education and should be free from being subjected to harmful or degrading treatment and any type of violence or exploitative labour that shall deny the child of his/her right to education.
The staff as duty bearers and members of the Ghana Education Service, have a responsibility to uphold and protect the children’s rights
The Ghana Education Service accepts this responsibility and pledges to seek and maintain at all times, the highest standard of competence and good behaviour.
This Code provides a frame of reference for both the disciplinary authority and members of the Service when it becomes necessary to initiate disciplinary action against errant members.
To this end, the Ghana Education Service finds it necessary to codify certain norms which would help achieve high standards of competence and good behaviour.
Section 9 (e) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), enjoins the employer as a duty bearer to, “provide and ensure the operation of an adequate procedure for discipline of the workers”.
This Code of Conduct below should not be viewed primarily as a means of imposing sanctions but also designed to emphasize and encourage improvement in individual conduct.
Rules Of Conduct For Staff
Teaching Notes
- A teacher shall prepare relevant and adequate teaching notes for his/her work in advance.
- It shall be the responsibility of the head of the institution to see to it that this is done.
Exercises
- A teacher shall set adequate amounts of written and practical exercises and give homework in all subjects that he/she teaches.
- A teacher shall mark and evaluate all written/practical exercises promptly and carefully.
- A teacher shall set, mark and manage his/her own end of term examination(s).
- A teacher shall not make derogatory remarks in the exercise books of the child.
- A teacher shall not under any circumstance make a pupil/student copy exercises/notes on the chalk/white board while he/she is present or absent; it is a duty that is the sole responsibility of the teacher.
Working Hours
- Working hours per day shall be as prescribed by law.
- Contact hours for staff and time for reporting for duty shall be determined through negotiations by GES and the Unions.
- A staff shall report for duty regularly and punctually as determined by the GES.
- A staff may be required to work beyond the required time in certain circumstances to be determined by the head or GES and the Unions.
- A record of attendance shall be kept in every educational institution.
- It shall be the responsibility of the head of the institution to see to it that the record of attendance is kept.
Performance of Duty
- A staff shall carry out his/her work in accordance with his/her profession, trade or occupation and in a manner determined by the employer.
- A staff whose work performance is proven through staff appraisal to be below the set standard shall be assisted and given all the necessary encouragement by indicating to him/her the improvement he/she is required to make within a reasonable time frame.
- After two instances of support without improvement, the staff shall be sanctioned.
- Any staff who is found to have forged or falsified any document or impersonated any person with the intent of misleading the GES and
- Any negligence on the part of a staff, which causes loss, damage or injury shall be a breach of contract of service.
Private Activities during Business Hours
- No teacher shall engage in private and personal conversation during lesson period(s) when he/she is expected to teach or to supervise pupils at work or play.
- No staff shall trade or transact any private financial business on the school premises during school hours.
- No staff shall perform unofficial duties or activities during school hours without permission from the head of his/her institution.
Co-Curricular Activities
Teachers shall take part in approved co- curricular activities in the institutions in which they work. Some of the approved co-curricular activities shall include; Sporting and Cultural Activities, Field Trips/Excursions, Club Activities and any other contingencies which shall be fair and just.
Improper Use of Children’s Labour
Labour is exploitative of a pupil/student, if it deprives him/her of education, leisure or development. Therefore;
- No employee shall subject a pupil/student to any form of exploitative labour.
- A staff shall not use the labour of a pupil/student in any form whatsoever with or without the consent of the parent during contact hours.
- An employee shall not send a child on errands for him/her during contact hours.
- No staff shall use the labour of pupils/students for private or personal service with or without the consent of their parents or guardians and of the school head during school hours.
- The exploitative activities that staff shall not engage pupils/students in shall include but not be limited to: selling or trading in items, weeding, farming, carrying of water, sand, stone and blocks or doing household chores.
Protection of Children from Torture and Other Degrading Treatment
a. Physical Violence
Physical harm inflicted on pupils/students in any form constitutes a gross violation of the child’s rights. Consequently;
- An employee shall not administer any act of corporal punishment, or any act that inflicts physical pain on the children or causes physical harm to their pupils/students such as pushing, pulling, hitting and/or flogging.
- No staff shall subject pupils/students to painful body postures such as “frog jumping”, standing in the sun and holding heavy loads on outstretched hands.
- No employee shall punish a child to do any work outside the classroom during contact hours.
- No staff shall cause harm to any pupil/student.
- A staff shall not threaten any pupil/student with harm with intent to put that person in fear of harm.
- No employee shall assault any pupil/student.
- A staff shall not subject a pupil/student to or encourage other pupils/students to subject a pupil/student to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including any cultural practice that dehumanizes or is injurious to the physical and mental well-being of the pupil/student.
- An employee shall intervene to stop a pupil/student from perpetrating physical violence or abuse on another pupil/student.
- A staff shall intervene to stop a fellow staff from perpetrating physical violence or abuse on a pupil/student.
- No correction of a pupil/student is justifiable that is unreasonable in kind or in degree according to the age, physical and mental condition of the pupil/student and if the child by reason of tender age or otherwise is incapable of understanding the purpose of the correction.
b. Psychological Violence
- No act of a staff shall have a negative psychological effect on a school child. Therefore, no staff in the course of duty shall intimidate, insult, tease, harass, threaten, snub or discriminate against any child.
- An employee shall not use the physical challenge of children to intimidate or ridicule them.
- A staff shall not by any means or action compel students into activities of which they do not have a clear understanding.
- No employee shall deliberately isolate or ignore any child.
- The staff shall advise against early marriage and support children continuing their education.
- No employee shall emotionally manipulate a child to the staff’s advantage.
- No staff shall send a child out of class for absenteeism or lateness.
- An employee shall show maximum consideration for feeling and circumstances of learners.
- The staff will control his/her utterances in order not to threaten with cruel and degrading punishment or hurt the pupil/student.
- An employee will intervene to stop a pupil/student from perpetrating psychological abuse on another pupil/student.
- A staff shall intervene to stop a fellow employee from perpetrating psychological abuse on another pupil/student.
SEE ALSO: GES Rules on Teaching Notes and Working Hours for Teachers
c. Sexual Violence
- No employee shall directly or indirectly do anything that may constitute sexual harassment of a pupil/student.
- Any staff who has carnal knowledge of any female or male pupil/student of any age, with or without his/her consent, shall be guilty of professional misconduct.
- No employee shall compel any female or male pupil/student in his/her school or in any educational institution to marry him/her with or without the consent of the child’s parents.
- No staff shall have any carnal knowledge of any pupil/student in his/her own school or in any pretertiary educational institution with or without his/her consent.
- No employee shall serve as a gobetween or knowingly suffer any female or male pupil/student in his/her school or any other pretertiary educational institution to resort to or be in or upon a premise for the purposes of carnal knowledge by any person or by himself/herself.
- No staff shall cause or encourage the seduction, carnal knowledge or prostitution of or the commission of i n d e c e n t a s s a u l t u p o n a pupil/student.
- No employee shall detain any pupil/student for immoral purposes.
- No staff shall by false pretences or false representation procure any pupil/student to have any carnal knowledge with him/her.
- An employee shall not apply or administer to or cause to be taken by any pupil/student any illegal drugs, matter or thing with intent to stupefy or overpower him/her so as to enable the staff or any person to have carnal knowledge with such pupil/student.
- No staff shall publicly or in secret wilfully commit any act of indecency towards any pupil/student.
- It shall be the responsibility of any staff who directly or indirectly gets to know of the occurrence of any of these acts to report it to his/her immediate superior.
- A staff shall intervene to stop a pupil/student from perpetrating sexual abuse or violence on another pupil/student.
- No staff shall directly or indirectly, instigate, aid, or in any manner facilitate, encourage or promote whether by his/her acts or presence or otherwise, any of the above named acts.
Non-Discrimination
No employee shall discriminate against a pupil/student on the grounds of sex, race, age, religion, disability. health status, custom, ethnic origin, background, socioeconomic status or misunderstanding with a parent or guardian.
Right to Social Activity
- No staff shall detain a pupil/student after school as a form of punishment without supervision.
- No employee shall deprive a pupil/student the right to participate in sports or other leisure activities as a form of punishment.
- No staff shall deprive a pupil/student the right to participate in a schoolrelated activity without just cause.
Favouritism
No staff shall do anything that shall suggest or create the impression that a pupil/student is more favoured than any other pupil/student.
Inordinate Affection
No staff shall under any circumstance show any form of inordinate affection to any pupil/student. Inordinate affection implies the expression of love or likeness with ulterior motive(s).
Role Model
A staff shall serve as role model to learners showing high degree of decency in speech, mannerism, discipline, dressing, to portray the dignity of the profession in the general performance of their duties.
Ideological Influence
No staff shall use his/her position to spread his/her political, religious or other ideologies among pupils/students.
Absence from Duty
- No staff may leave the school/office during working hours without the permission of the head of the institution.
- A staff leaving the school for duty elsewhere shall inform his/her head of his/her whereabouts to facilitate his/her recall in an emergency.
- A staff shall not absent him/herself from work on ground of ill-health without permission from his/her head and subsequent submission of a medical certificate from a certified medical practitioner or registered traditional healer if he/she has to be absent for more than five (5) working days.
- A staff shall not absent him/herself from assigned work without permission.
- It is misconduct for a staff to absent him/herself from duty for one (l) or more days continuous without permission or reasonable excuse or cause.
- A staff who absents him/herself from duty continuously for ten (10) working days or more shall be deemed to have vacated post.
- No staff shall leave Ghana without a written permission from the Director General of the Ghana Education Service.
Property of Employer
- A staff shall not cause a deliberate damage to the property of his/her Employer.
- A staff shall not use the property of the Employer without permission from the appropriate authority.
- No staff shall use the name or property of the Employer for personal benefit or advantage.
Protection of the Interest of the Employer
- A staff shall not divulge privileged or classified information or document to any person or body that is not entitled to have access to such information or document.
- No staff shall engage in any other gainful economic activity at the workplace.
- No staff shall in the course of his/her duties disobey, disregard or wilfully default in carrying out any lawful instructions, reasonable orders or directives given by any person or body having authority to give such lawful instructions, reasonable orders or directives.
- A staff shall not engage in any act that brings the name of the Employer into disrepute.
- Any act or omission of a staff that amounts to a betrayal of confidence reposed in him or her by the Employer shall constitute gross misconduct.
Postings
No staff shall refuse to accept posting. Posting within the Service means change of location of work or job, or in the case of first appointment being deployed to a specific workstation.
Transfers
A staff shall not refuse to go on transfer. Transfer within the Service means a change in the job or location of work of the staff.
Insubordination
No staff shall in the course of his/her duties disobey, disregard or wilfully default in carrying out any lawful instruction, reasonable order given by any person, Committee or Board having authority to give such order or instruction.
Health and Safety Rules
- The employer shall provide safe, secure, working environment, tools and equipment for work to ensure the health and safety of employees.
- Offices, workshops, laboratories, classrooms and related facilities shall be kept and maintained in a manner so as to ensure that the health and safety of staff, pupils and students are guaranteed in accordance with the relevant laws of Ghana.
- Any infringement of Health and Safety rules at the work place by a staff amounts to misconduct.
Presence of Babies in School/Office
- Except where permission is sought for a staff’s baby to be brought to school/office, no staff shall bring babies or children under school-going age to school/office.
- No pupil/student shall be used as a baby sitter.
- The baby shall not be placed at a location where his/her noise or cry may interfere with teaching and learning or any form of work.
Use of Illegal Drugs at the Workplace
- No staff shall use illegal drugs during work sessions or at the workplace.
- Any incapability of a staff on duty brought about by the use of illegal drugs is serious misconduct.
- No staff shall induce a pupil/student by involving or sending him/her to purchase illegal drugs.
- N o s t a f f s h a l l i n v o l v e pupils/students directly or indirectly in using illegal drugs.
Drinking, Drunkenness and Smoking
- No staff shall drink alcohol while on duty or be found drunk during school/office hours.
- Habitual drunkenness shall be considered as bringing the Ghana Education Service into disrepute.
- No staff shall smoke in the c l a s s r o o m / o f f i c e d u r i n g school/office hours or in a place within school/office premises.
- No staff shall induce a pupil/student by sending him/her to purchase alcoholic beverage or cigarettes.
- N o s t a f f s h a l l i n v o l v e pupils/students directly or indirectly in drinking any alcoholic beverage and/or in smoking any kind of cigarette.
Unauthorized Collection of Monies, Fees or Levies
No staff shall collect unauthorized monies, fees or levies from pupils/students without the permission of the Director General of the GES.
Misappropriation of Funds
- A staff shall make proper account of public funds in his/her possession or care to an appropriate authority.
- No staff shall misappropriate public funds.
- A staff who fails to properly account for monies in his/her possession, custody or under his/her immediate control shall be made to refund the said money and the requisite sanction shall apply.
Adverse Internal or External Audit Report
An Adverse Internal or External Audit Report against a staff shall constitute a prima facie charge against him/her and the staff shall be made to explain why disciplinary action shall not be taken against him/her. When investigation is ongoing such staff shall be interdicted.
Giving and Receiving Gifts or Favours
It is a misconduct for a staff to accept gifts or favours directly or indirectly from any person if such gifts or favours may compromise the objective performance of his/her official functions.
Loan
No staff may advance any loan whatsoever to another staff with interest or act as an intermediary between any staff, registered and recognized money lender or take part in collecting debts on behalf of any moneylender.
Financial Embarrassment
- Financial embarrassment impairs the efficiency of a staff and may result in disciplinary proceedings being taken against him/her.
- It is the duty of the head of the institution to report to the Director General through the appropriate channel any staff serving under him/her who to his/her knowledge is i n p e r s i s t e n t f i n a n c i a l embarrassment.
- All cases of proven financial embarrassment shall be noted in the Service Record of the staff.
Submission of Reports and Data or Information
It is an obligation of a staff, upon request by a superior officer, to submit reports and data or information timely without fail.
Public Examinations
- No staff acting as an invigilator or a supervisor, shall offer assistance to candidate(s) at National or public examinations, with the intent to cheat.
- No staff shall give fore-knowledge of or leak internal or public examination questions to any candidate/person.
- No staff shall connive at and or condone collusion or copying at internal or public examinations.
- No staff shall indulge in or encourage any act of impersonation at public examinations.
Publications
- No staff shall give unauthorized press interviews or releases especially those bordering on policy matters of the Organization.
- The paragraph 33 (i) does not affect members who are required, as part of their official duties, to edit any paper, or subscribe articles thereto.
- Where a member gives lectures which are related to matters of policy of the Ghana Education Service, the Director General or his/her representative shall be consulted and his/her prior approval obtained through the officer’s head of department.
- No staff shall publish or offer for sale, exhibit, produce or have in his/her possession, any obscene books, writings, films, drawings, photographs or any other obscene objects or materials, with the intention of morally corrupting any pupil/student.
Participation in Partisan politics.
- Every staff is entitled to his/her own political opinion and may, if qualified, vote at elections.
- No staff shall, in the performance of his/her duties engage in any activities that are likely to involve him/her in political controversy or lead to his/her taking improper advantage of his/her position in the Ghana Education Service.
- Any staff who is seeking public office through an election either on the ticket of a Political Party or as an Independent candidate shall apply to the Director General for a leave of absence without pay.
- An application for such a leave of absence without pay must be submitted in writing, at least, three (3) months prior to elections.
- In the case of by elections fourteen (14) days’ notice will be required.
SEE ALSO: GES Ranks For Teachers And Their Corresponding Salaries
Strikes and Demonstrations
No staff shall involve him/herself in students’ strikes, riots or demonstrations.
Criminal Acts or Omissions
i). For the purpose of this Code, criminal acts and omissions are classified into two, these are:
- Criminal acts or omissions outside the workplace: and
- Criminal acts or omissions at the workplace.
- Any alleged criminal act or omission by a staff outside the workplace that renders, in the opinion of the employer, the staff unsuitable for his/her present job, may provide the basis for disciplinary action.
- Any alleged criminal act or omission at the workplace by a staff such as stealing, falsification of records or deliberate misrepresentation of facts is a gross misconduct.
iv). A staff who is convicted on a criminal offence involving fraud, theft or dishonesty or sentenced to
imprisonment without the option of a fine shall be dismissed from the Service, as from the date of his/her conviction.
Anonymous Letters
No staff shall write or circulate anonymous letters with malicious intent.
Official Correspondence or Records
No staff shall show or take official correspondence or records to private persons, corporations, companies or other bodies without the express and prior consent of the Director General or his/her representative.
Acts of Dishonour
- No staff shall involve him/herself in any act that is likely to bring the teaching profession into disrepute.
- It shall therefore be the responsibility of every staff to preserve the dignity and honour of his/her profession and also maintain his/her own dignity, honour and integrity.
Outside Remuneration and Voluntary Work
A staff of the GES may provide a service outside the permanent employment of that staff or carry on business, receive remuneration from public funds for activities outside the position of the Staff or engage in volunteer activities, if the service, business or activity does not:
CHECK: GNAT Demands Action After Teacher St-abbed by Student
i) Interfere with the performance of his/her duty as a GES staff; ii) Bring the GES into disrepute;
- Create a conflict of interest or the reasonable perception of conflict of interest;
- Appear to represent Government opinion or policy;
- Involve the unauthorized use of work time or Government premises, services equipment, or supplies; or
- Enable the GES staff to gain an advantage that is derived from the employment of the public servant in the GES.
Prompt Action on Disciplinary Matters
- Any act of misconduct by a staff shall be dealt with promptly, by the appropriate authority.
- Failure by the authority to act promptly and appropriately shall constitute a misconduct.
Offences Not Mentioned in the Code
Any omission or act of misconduct by staff not expressly mentioned in this Code or in any regulation operating within the Ghana Education Service shall be reported to the Director General, through the appropriate channel and the Director General shall refer the case to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee to deal with it.