How the Code came to be
The Teachers' Code of Conduct was first published in 2004, with extensive input from the TRCN Secretariat, the Governing Board, and the agencies and institutions represented on the Board. TRCN also researched the codes of conduct of other established professions to inform that first edition.
The maiden edition was widely regarded as excellent, but TRCN still circulated the draft to over four hundred agencies and institutions for comment — including the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies, all State Ministries of Education, State Primary Education Boards, Secondary Education Management Boards, Teaching Service Commissions, Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, and the Faculties and Institutes of Education of Nigerian universities.
That broad consultation reflected TRCN's belief that professional conduct is a sensitive and important matter requiring wide consensus, so that all stakeholders could be unequivocally committed to its enforcement.
What it covers
The Code sets out the professional standards expected of every registered teacher in Nigeria — covering interactions with pupils, parents, colleagues, and the wider community; the proper handling of trust, authority, and care; and the conduct expected in the classroom, online, and outside school hours.
For the full Code of Conduct document and any subsequent revisions, see our publications page. For questions about specific obligations, or to raise a concern about a teacher's conduct, please contact us.