TSC New Punitive Laws Barring Teachers From Hosting Learners
TSC New Punitive Laws Barring Teachers From Hosting Learners. The draft amendment Act to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which is currently open to the public, poses potential risks for teachers who provide accommodation to students in their homes or hotel rooms. The bill outlines more than 25 disciplinary incidents that could lead to the loss of service numbers or prosecution of registered teachers.
Serious offenses such as sexual harassment and sodomy are listed, along with less serious offenses such as falsifying documents and hosting students in teachers’ residences.
The bill specifically categorizes hosting students in teachers’ residences, guest houses, hotels or hostels as a disciplinary offence. In addition, engaging students in homework in teachers’ apartments is considered a serious offense. These offenses range from professional misconduct, including dereliction of duty and chronic tardiness, to behavioral problems such as drunkenness, fighting and the use of profanity.
Penalties for these offenses range from warnings, surcharges and six-month suspensions to deregistration, forced retirement, dismissal or termination of membership. However, teachers have the opportunity to appeal before their names are removed from the register.
In particular, recent cases have resulted in the TSC canceling the registration of 23 teachers due to various disciplinary issues where they were found guilty of multiple offences. The commission has published details of their removal in the Gazette with TSC numbers, case numbers, names and dates of removal. Despite this, the specific allegations against these teachers were not disclosed in the notice.
The Gazette announcement emphasized the exercise of the powers granted by § 30 paragraph 1 letter e) of the Act on Teaching Service and notified the public of deletions from the register of teachers in accordance with Section 30, Paragraph 2 of the Act.
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