The Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) has raised concern over poor conduct being manifested by some married female teachers whose husbands occupy leadership positions in the government.
According to the TSC Secretary, Ms Winfrida Rutahindurwa, some married female teachers have been undermining leaders in their respective work stations, including headmasters, headmistress or education officers at lower levels.
Ms Rutahindurwa said the Commission’s officials who are in charge of employment and ethics in the regions were also being looked down upon by such unethical married female teachers.
Given the growing behaviour, the Commission’s secretary issued a strong warning against them, asking them to uphold professional and ethical principles.
Ms Rutahundurwa was speaking on Thursday in Mwanza during the meeting that attracted the Commission’s officers in charge of employment and ethics from Mara, Shinyanga, Geita, Simiyu, Kagera and Mwanza regions.
She said every teacher, irrespective of their status, should comply with the profession’s ethics, including abiding by the code of conduct, saying violating them was punishable by laws as it was contrary to the law, rules, and regulations of the Public Service.
“They must understand that they become leaders’ wives when they are at home but when they are at work they have to respect their leaders and also adhere to the rules governing their profession,” Ms Rutahindurwa said, calling upon all teachers in the country to work ethically with high level of discipline.
Meanwhile, Ms Rutahindurwa said that over the past four years, the commission suspended 33 teachers due to absenteeism and three others for having sexual relationships with students.
Despite appealing to President Dr John Magufuli against the suspension, the President supported and upheld the decisions reached by the commission.
According to Ms Rutahindurwa, a total of 75 appeals were filed to President Magufuli, of which 36 failed while six succeeded after the President overturned the initial Commission’s verdicts.
The verdict of the remaining 33 appeals are yet to be communicated to the Commission.
The president’s verdict on six appeals involved five cases of absenteeism and one on sexual relationship with a student.
She said that since the Commission began discharging its responsibilities in July 2016 in collaboration with its stakeholders, it has successfully coordinated and addressed the recruitment of teachers and other staffing issues, whereby 11,581 teachers were employed, 14,507 were enrolled to the Commission, 11,774 were confirmed at work, 85,799 were promoted, 5,760 were replaced after promotion and 19,450 teachers were approved for retirement.
On disciplinary matters to teachers, she said the Commission issued 1,280 recommendations received from the former Department of Public Service, 6,191 consultations were finalised in the district, 484 appeals were received by the Commission and its decision was made.
On her part, the Director of the Department of Employment, Ethics and Teacher’s Development Christina Hape said the purpose of the twoday training was to equip the officers to know how to handle the challenges they face to bring efficiency in their working places.
