THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL
ETHICS (AS AMENDED)
DEFINITIONS
1. In this Code, unless the context indicates otherwise any word or phrase defined in the South
African Council for Educators Act, 2000 has that meaning and:
1. ‘Code’ means the Code of Professional Ethics of the South African Council for Educators;
2. ‘Council’ means the South African Council for Educators;
3. ‘Educator’ means any educator registered or provisionally registered with the Council;
4. ‘Learner’ means a pupil or a student at any early learning site, school, further education and
training institution or adult learning centre;
5. ‘parent’ means:
1. any natural parent or guardian of a learner;
2. any person legally entitled to custody of a learner; and
3. any person who undertakes to fulfil the obligations of a person referred to in paragraphs (a) or
(b) towards the learner’s education at school.
GENERAL
1. The educators who are registered or provisionally registered with the South African Council for
Educators:
1. acknowledge the noble calling of their profession to educate and train the learners of our
country;
2. acknowledge that the attitude, dedication, self-discipline, ideals, training and conduct of the
teaching profession determine the quality of education in this country;
3. acknowledge, uphold and promote basic human rights, as embodied in the Constitution of South
Africa;
4. commit themselves therefore to do all within their power, in the exercising of their professional
duties, to act in accordance with the ideals of their profession, as expressed in this Code; and
5. act in a proper and becoming way such that their behaviour does not bring the teaching
profession into disrepute.
CONDUCT: THE EDUCATOR AND THE LEARNER
1. An educator:
1. respects the dignity, beliefs and constitutional rights of learners and in particular children,
which includes the right to privacy and confidentiality;
2. acknowledges the uniqueness, individuality, and specific needs of each learner, guiding and
encouraging each to realise his or her potentialities;
3. strives to enable learners to develop a set of values consistent with the fundamental rights
contained in the Constitution of South Africa;
4. exercises authority with compassion;
5. avoids any form of humiliation, and refrains from any form of abuse, physical or psychological;
6. refrains from improper physical contact with learners;
ETHICS (AS AMENDED)
DEFINITIONS
1. In this Code, unless the context indicates otherwise any word or phrase defined in the South
African Council for Educators Act, 2000 has that meaning and:
1. ‘Code’ means the Code of Professional Ethics of the South African Council for Educators;
2. ‘Council’ means the South African Council for Educators;
3. ‘Educator’ means any educator registered or provisionally registered with the Council;
4. ‘Learner’ means a pupil or a student at any early learning site, school, further education and
training institution or adult learning centre;
5. ‘parent’ means:
1. any natural parent or guardian of a learner;
2. any person legally entitled to custody of a learner; and
3. any person who undertakes to fulfil the obligations of a person referred to in paragraphs (a) or
(b) towards the learner’s education at school.
GENERAL
1. The educators who are registered or provisionally registered with the South African Council for
Educators:
1. acknowledge the noble calling of their profession to educate and train the learners of our
country;
2. acknowledge that the attitude, dedication, self-discipline, ideals, training and conduct of the
teaching profession determine the quality of education in this country;
3. acknowledge, uphold and promote basic human rights, as embodied in the Constitution of South
Africa;
4. commit themselves therefore to do all within their power, in the exercising of their professional
duties, to act in accordance with the ideals of their profession, as expressed in this Code; and
5. act in a proper and becoming way such that their behaviour does not bring the teaching
profession into disrepute.
CONDUCT: THE EDUCATOR AND THE LEARNER
1. An educator:
1. respects the dignity, beliefs and constitutional rights of learners and in particular children,
which includes the right to privacy and confidentiality;
2. acknowledges the uniqueness, individuality, and specific needs of each learner, guiding and
encouraging each to realise his or her potentialities;
3. strives to enable learners to develop a set of values consistent with the fundamental rights
contained in the Constitution of South Africa;
4. exercises authority with compassion;
5. avoids any form of humiliation, and refrains from any form of abuse, physical or psychological;
6. refrains from improper physical contact with learners;
