Teachers must abide by ethics code - EACC

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia. Qualified teachers have until the end of July 26, 2016 to submit their applications for employment by the government. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Teachers have rejected attempts to audit their income and assets while in service and on exit by their employers-the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
  • Mr Waqo said teachers serving in public service are public officers and TSC is duty-bound to develop and enforce a code of conduct and ethics in line with its mandate.
  • He said EACC supports the code of conduct, noting that it will regulate the conduct and performance of teachers in the country.

Teachers must abide by the code of conduct and ethics that have been developed by their employers, the anti-corruption watchdog has said.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chief executive officer Halakhe Waqo said the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution and Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 apply to all public officers including teachers.

“Compliance with the ethical and integrity standard set under these law is a duty and not a choice. No sector or individual is at liberty to choose what provisions of the law to apply to them,” said Mr Waqo in a statement.

Teachers have rejected attempts to have their their income and assets audited while in service and on exit by by their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

However, speaking in Mombasa on the sidelines of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association Conference, TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said there is nothing new in the code as it has been the practice since coming into force of the Public Officers' Ethics Act of 2004.

Mr Waqo said teachers serving in public service are public officers and TSC is duty-bound to develop and enforce a code of conduct and ethics in line with its mandate.

He said EACC supports the code of conduct, noting that it will regulate the conduct and performance of teachers in the country.

"EACC as the lead agency mandated to oversight enforcement of ethics and integrity standards among state and public officers including teachers, is keenly monitoring development and implementation of codes of conduct and ethics by all public entities and commissions,” he said.

Mr Waqo warned teachers that, violation of the Chapter Six of the Constitution has serious penal consequences that may include removal from office.

“The commission wishes to further urge Kenyans to take responsibility for the management of their affairs and hold their public officials to account for their conduct,” he said.