The Ministry of Education is seriously concerned with complaints being received from the public against teachers on allegations of having extra marital affairs, not paying debts to community stores, and borrowing money from students amongst others.

In a statement, Minister Filipe Bole said his office has been inundated with letters from members of the public regarding the lack of professional conduct by teachers.

Bole said time and time again, the Ministry has been reminding teachers of professionalism in school, however, it has not been given due consideration.

Following the complaints, a Circular was sent to schools this week reminding all teachers both at primary and secondary schools that as civil servants, they are bound by the Public Service Commission's Code of Conduct, which demands professionalism from all employees of government, including teachers.

Bole said unfortunately, his office has been receiving complaints of teachers implicated in serious offences such as sexual offences committed against children, extra marital affairs, unpaid debts to community stores, inflicting corporal punishment on students and borrowing money from students.

Bole said he is looking to these issues and there may be some unreported cases as well.

The Minister stresses that the integrity of the teaching fraternity is undermined here and the confidence of the public has to be restored and thus, all teachers are reminded that misdemeanors of any kind, are intolerable and all complaints reaching his office will be severely dealt with which means suspension, pending investigation and if proven guilty, termination will follow.
 
The Ministry hopes that all teachers will take heed of this last and final advice and make the necessary redress immediately.