7.2 Strategies to combat unethical practices
7.2.5 Establish tracking and support systems
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Principal and educators serve in loco parentis and have a responsible to produce independent and responsible future leaders. As learners learn a lot through observing it is important that principals and teachers be good role models so as to mould future ethical leaders through modelled behaviour.
(Mr Ndlovu, the principal of Iphothwe Secondary School)
Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Thobela, who said that:
As an educator I have a responsibility to help all my learners to become responsible citizens. I know that in one way or another these learners tend to look up to us as educators the kind of behaviour to emulate, hence we have to show them the correct path so that they become responsible citizens.
(Mrs Thobela, post level 1 educator of Iphothwe Secondary School)
Participants consistently gave the view that the school principals and teachers are role models for everyone at the school. Principal and educators cannot abdicate their obligation to set a moral example for their subordinates (Bello, 2012) for their organisation to succeed. Hence, the principal’s behaviour is significant in determining the tone of the school by embracing the purpose, vision and values of the organisation and the subordinates, informed by ethical ideals (Bello, 2012). Therefore, principals need to ensure that their behaviour is consistent with the organisational goals and aspirations. Moreover, principals need to know that their actions are significant in determining how the community views the school. In addition, role modelling by the principals helps shows the subordinates the expected behaviour and it becomes easier for well-meaning principals or teachers to reprimand subordinates, as opposed to principal or an educator who violates the ethics codes when he/she has to deal with infractions of the subordinates. Good or positive role modelling was viewed by the participants as vital in moulding grooming future leaders. Ethical leaders demonstrate the traits that they observed modelled during their childhood or during their career that were rated as better ethical leaders by their employees (Voegtlin, 2015). Educators felt it was their responsibility to guide the leaders as they act on behalf of parents.
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participants suggested that monitoring of behaviour is significant. In addition, the participants felt that support must be provided to teachers and principals to ensure that principals are ethically behaving as they carry out their leading and teaching responsibilities. Underscoring the importance of tracking the unethical behaviours, Mrs Mseleku had the following to say:
..., principals need to be monitored by SACE and Department of Education because when they have freedom, they can easily get out of the way. Monitoring structures need to be put in place that will ensure that anything untoward that surfaces is dealt with urgently and harshly to set an example.
(Mrs Mseleku, post level one educator of Iphothwe Secondary School)
Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Ngcobo, who had the following to say:
Having all the rules and regulations in place is not much important but it has to be bolstered with close monitoring of behaviour and consequences there off. However, SACE emerges when sanctions against an educator have to be effected having not bothered to workshop teachers on the code of ethics.
(Mrs Ngcobo, post level 1 educator of Zakhele Primary School)
In concert with the latter assertion, Mr Mnguni lamented that:
..., there are so many scandalous reports that had been made about principals and teachers despite the presence of wonderful acts and policies. Unethical practices happen because there is no proper monitoring by SACE and DBE of the principals’
and teachers’ conducts. When one knows is monitored, he shies away from unethical acts. Therefore, monitoring can reduce unethical behaviour in schools.
(Mr Mnguni, principal of Intuthuko Secondary school)
Similarly, Mr Ndlovu argued that:
..., the Department of Education can reduce the level of unethical behaviour by ensuring that there are clearly systems of reporting unethical behaviours of teachers. Moreover, unethical the Department of Education must punish that person who violated the rules so that those who reported are motivated to report future unethical behaviours.
(Mr Ndlovu, the Principal of, principal of Iphothwe Secondary School)
In the same vein, Mr Ngobese stated that:
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Combating unethical behaviours in schools requires the employees within the institution to report the occurring unethical conduct. Hence there should be assurance that whistle blowers’ anonymity is protected. Sometimes principals are the ones who are supposed to report teachers but fearing for their safety end up not reporting.
(Mr Ngobese, the principal of Zakhele Primary School)
Similarly, Mr Pelepele, the principal of Ikhethelo Primary School, contended that:
I believe that one of the reasons unethical behaviours are not reported to the Department of Education is fear of victimisation and no certainty that the culprit will not get to know who reported him. I therefore think that when there are secured/safe platforms to report unethical behaviour people deviant behaviours can drastically be reduced as principals and teachers may fear to be caught and severely punished.
(Mr Pelepele, the principal of Ikhethelo Primary School)
Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Thobela, post level 1 educator of Iphothwe Secondary School:
We know a lot of wrong doings by both our colleagues and principals, but we cannot report those unethical practices because we are afraid of victimisation or losing our lives. If the Department of Education is serious about combating corruption that is happening in schools by both teachers and principals, needs to create avenues where unethical practices can be registered anonymously.
(Mrs Thobela, post level 1 educator of Iphothwe Secondary school)
In concert with the afore-mentioned views, Ms Thandi, post level 1 educator of Intuthuko, shared the following:
..., one of the ways of combating unethical leadership in school is by making it safe for the whistle-blowers to report deviant behaviours. Nowadays taking one’s life in the Township is like slaughtering a cow. So, unless the whistle blowers’ lives are safe more unethical behaviours will be reported and people will start to behave well fearing to lose their job when caught.
(Ms Thandi, post level 1 educator of Intuthuko Secondary School)
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In concert with the foregoing assertion, Mr Jali, proposed that: “One of the best solutions is to ensure that those who are brave to report unethical behaviour are protected and it must be easy and safe to report unethical conduct”. (Mr Jali, Post level 1 educator of Senzokwethu Primary School)
Similar sentiments were shared by Mrs Dube who further stated that:
Combating unethical behaviours in schools calls for the principals or Department of Education to ensure that support is given to those who are against corrupt practices. Support can be in the form of ensuring that whistle blower remain anonymous to the offenders.
(Mrs Dube, principal of Senzokwethu Primary School)
The findings seem to suggest that combating unethical behaviour was dependent on the assurance that, when the whistle-blower had registered the deviant behaviour, his/her anonymity was to be guaranteed. The major concern was that reporting deviant behaviour sometimes put the life of the whistle blower in danger, since there were no proper means of protecting the anonymity of the whistle blower. Moreover, the participants felt that support was not given to those who were anti-corruption and, as a result, they surmised that, if adequate support was given to the whistle blowers, unethical practices would be combated. In addition, the procedures to report unethical practices were viewed by the participants as cumbersome, hence observers were reluctant to report deviant behaviour. The participants further considered that monitoring was one means of tracking unethical behaviours that could have positive impact in combating the unethical behaviours of some educators and principals.