Teacher leadership in upholding professional ethics in primary schools in Abim district – Uganda

The impetus for this qualitative research project was sought to explore how teacher leadership upholds professional ethics (PEs) in government primary schools in Abim district – Uganda. The study involved 18 respondents who were mainly classroom teachers and headteachers. Overall study findings revealed that teachers understood the concept of PEs and operated within their confines to enhance the professional ethics in their duty of teaching-learning in the school environment and out in the community. The study also found out that teachers received support supervision from the headteacher, centre coordinating tutor (CCT), district inspector of schools (DIS), and district education officer (DEO) who regularly observed the teaching-learning process in schools. Noted in the study were also forms of unprofessional behaviors among some teachers who were handled at school level or attracted intervention of district education office. The study recommended that teachers should observe and follow the professional codes as specified in teachers’ professional code of conduct document, engage in continuous professional development (CPD) and build a strong learning community in schools where issues of PEs are shared. To the headteachers the researcher recommended that mentoring program be strengthened. An action research to improve practice was recommended for professional educators, and to the ministry of education and sports (MoES), the researcher called for strengthening of PEs in teacher training colleges