About the New Zealand Teachers Council Code of Ethics
The Education Act 1989 empowers the New Zealand Teachers Council to develop a Code of Ethics for registered teachers. This Code of Ethics applies to registered teachers and to those persons who are granted a Limited Authority to Teach.
Code of Ethics - to uphold professional standard
A professional Code of Ethics, such as this, is a public statement by the profession of its common ethical principles, and how those principles are to be applied to promote the highest standards of professional service.
The principles are intended to educate, motivate and inspire members of the profession. At the same time, the Code is also a statement to learners, parents, whānau and the wider public about what may be expected of all registered teachers in their professional roles. It should be recognised that high ethical standards are most fully achieved by practitioners when those standards are also observed by employers, parents, students and community.
There is a widespread public expectation in our changing and diverse society that teachers in schools and early childhood centres will treat people fairly, respect their autonomy, exercise responsible care towards those they teach, and attend to truth not only in what they say, but also in the veracity of what they teach. These are the broad principles upon which the Code is based.
The Code is not a set of rules to be observed expediently. Its application requires interpretation in the light of the circumstances of difficult situations, and practitioners need to recognise tensions between different principles which may need to be resolved. For this reason, there may be no single correct solution to some predicaments, but practitioners should still be able to account for their actions by reference to the principles.
This Code is inspirational in its intent. Like other professional codes, it may also be used as a basis to challenge the ethical behaviour of a teacher and could provide grounds for complaint if a teacher's practice falls seriously short of these standards.
Where other sector specific codes covering registered teachers are in existence, the New Zealand Teachers Council Code of Ethics is the overarching document. It is important that any other codes developed should complement this document rather than be in conflict with it.
This Code should be treated as a living document with wide application in professional practice. Its use should not be limited to dealing with difficult issues. It should be treated as an educational tool: to help the profession to define and re-define its values, and assist individual practitioners to be constantly aware of ethical tensions in teaching, and help them develop principled ways to resolve those tensions. This process should begin with student teachers and continue throughout professional life.
Background to the Code of Ethics
Find out about how the Code of Ethics was developed here.