When we hear the word professional, the first people that pops out of our minds are the doctors, lawyers or engineers. We know that they possess competent skills, observes high standards on the job, and abides by the code of ethics. We give due respect to them. But it is only with the passage of the Philippine Professionalization act of 1994 did teaching become the genuine profession as it aspires to be.
The term professional is one of the most exalted in the English Language, denoting as it does, long and arsuous years of preparation, a striving for excellence, a dedication to the public interest and commitment to moral and ethical values.
Who is a professional teacher? According to the Code of Ethics of professional Teachers , 1997, “He/She is the licensed professional who possesses dignity and reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence. He/She adheres to , observes and practices a set of ethical and moral principles, standards and values.
As the definition imparts, teaching profession has attributes of the other professions like licensure examinations, oath taking for licensing, membership in professional organizations, inclusion in the roster of the professionals at the Professional Regulation Commission and continuing professional education. Thus the teachers nowadays are no longer mere teachers but professional teachers.
Being so, teachers must be given due respect. Inside the school, they are to be treated as professional and persons in authority. Any act violating their right to be treated as such may result to legal offense.
By: Mrs. Noriza D. Fariñas | Teacher II | Orion Elementary School, Orion, Bataan
