Lecturers need basic training on ethics

Mar 02, 2010

MAKERERE University recently passed a university’s human resources manual which, among other things, recommends dismissal for drunken lecturers. Drinking among the university’s teaching staff has persisted despite the stiff penalty spelt out in the staff manual.

FROM THE EDITOR

MAKERERE University recently passed a university’s human resources manual which, among other things, recommends dismissal for drunken lecturers. Drinking among the university’s teaching staff has persisted despite the stiff penalty spelt out in the staff manual.

The lecturers’ failure to abide by the professional code of ethics can be traced to the recruitment process which is based solely on academic excellence. The lecturers are, therefore academicians, not professional teachers. This is a glaring loophole that has made it difficult for the university to enforce a strict code of conduct among the lecturers.

Teaching at any level requires professional training and Makerere University should not take this lightly. Such training gives the teachers skills for imparting knowledge as well as the professional conduct to abide by.

The education ministry’s plan to introduce professional training for all university lecturers is a step in the right direction. Such training will provide a fertile ground for a instilling proper code of conduct among lecturers. It will also address other contentious issue like lecturer – student relationship, supervision, teaching methods and professional consultancies.

It is high time universities considered university teaching as a profession requiring a set of skills and guided by a strict code of conduct.

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