Teacher ethics in the curriculum of teacher education in Tanzania

This study examined the place of teacher ethics in the curriculum for teacher education. The research was carried out in six districts of Tanzania in East Africa. A total of 78 participants consisting of teachers, curriculum developers, education officers, school inspectors, Teacher Service Department officers, and teacher trainees participated in the study. Interviews and documentary research informed the collection of the required data. Three stages-data reduction, organisation and interpretation-guided the analysis of the data. The study findings indicate that the place of teacher ethics in the curriculum is insignificantly defined in Tanzania despite its importance in any educational programme. Against this backdrop, the paper argues that the curriculum for teacher education in Tanzania must integrate teacher ethics for teachers to build a sound ethical knowledge base that would allow teachers to perform their work ethically and professionally. Towards this objective, reforms in teacher education in Tanzania must focus on facilitating the emergence of an ethics-oriented curriculum capable of transforming the teaching profession in Tanzania for the better.