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                                   137 

 

MAKING PROFESSIONAL ETHICS COUNT IN 

LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN NIGERIA 

 

Emmanuel Obiudo 

& 

Lauretta Chinyeaka 

Abstract 

This paper examines the role that professional ethics play in 

enhancing language teaching and learning. Language teaching 

and learning are like two sides of the same coin. Language 

learning is better enhanced with effective language 

teaching/lecturing. Both are in turn affected by a myriad of 

factors, including the cultivation and maintenance of professional 

ethics. That language teaching and learning have suffered serious 

setbacks in Nigeria is evident by the low level of proficiency of 

language graduates, especially that of English, as well as the 

perennial poor performance of students at the various levels of 

education in the country. The paper notes the role that 

professional ethics would play in arresting the trend. It concludes 

that the cultivation and maintenance of professional ethics by 

language teachers/lecturers and students would enhance 

productivity, restore declining public confidence in teaching as 

well as promote the level of proficiency of, especially, English 

language graduates. 

 

 

Introduction  

One of the most challenging domains of decision-making could 

be located within the sphere of ethics. Issues bothering on ethics 

have been with man right from the beginning. For instance, it is 

believed that the point where man was required to choose 

between good and evil marked the origins of ethics. "Since then, 

it has continued to define and re-define the basis for analyzing the 

conduct of mankind" (Obiudo 2). 



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The 21st century has come with its unique opportunities and 

challenges, while the professional is under increasing pressures to 

perform in order to prove his worth and or justify his reward. Key 

factors affect performance and professional ethics have proven to 

be part of these. The professional must not only show 

demonstrable competence but must also be known and seen to be 

guided by high ethical standards, 

 

Ethics pervade all human disciplines and are critical in delivering 

value. In an age of increasing knowledge, fast-paced 

globalization and the advent of the internet, the dividing line 

between ethical and unethical conduct continues to thin out or 

disappear altogether. The challenges inherent in these realities are 

clearly enormous. 

 

In the light of the foregoing, the paper examines the issue of 

professional ethics as they concern language teaching, especially 

at the tertiary level of education in Nigeria. They make a case for 

the cultivation and application of high ethical standards in the 

process of language teaching in the country. This is also with 

particular reference to the teaching of the English language, 

which is a second language to many Nigerians. This will not only 

add value to teaching but also serve to curb the perennial poor 

performance in the language in the country. Since to be educated 

was (and still is), in the eyes of many, to be educated in the 

English language (Baldeh 3), the outcome would go a long way 

in improving the level of education in the country. 

 

Defining the Problem 

The use of language is indispensable in every field of human 

endeavour. In Nigeria, for instance, the English language is a 

second language to many Nigerians as well as the official 

language of government business in the country. By its nature, to 

be educated was (and still is), in the eyes of many to be educated 



AJELLS: Awka Journal of English and Literary Studies, Volume 4 No 1, 2013 

                                   139 

 

in the English language (Baldeh 3). It is, however, well-known 

that its teaching and learning in the country are bedeviled by 

several challenges. The consequence could be seen in the low 

level of proficiency in English of typical English language and 

other graduates, and the widespread view that the level of 

education has fallen in the country. 

 

The non-adherence to professional ethics in this important field 

of learning could well be one of the major contributory factors to 

this predicament. Thus, the need for the cultivation and 

maintenance of professional ethics becomes paramount. In other 

words, in what ways and to what degree does the observance of 

professional ethics contribute to enhancing language teaching and 

learning in the country? This provides the background for the 

paper. 

 

Objectives 

The paper seeks to achieve the following objectives: 

• To create awareness on the need to embrace professional 

ethics in language teaching and learning in Nigeria, 

especially as they pertain to the English language. 

• To highlight the ways in which professional ethics could 

enhance language teaching and learning. 

• To make a case for the development of a Code of Ethics 

for language teaching and learning. 

• To make recommendations in line with the stated 

objectives of the paper. 

 

Methodology 

The analytical method of research provides the framework for the 

paper. The issues under discussion are well-known, even to the 

casual observer of the nation's educational system. The essence is 

to bring salient issues to the fore, while advocating for the ways 

of improvement in the highlighted areas. 



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The Concept of Professional Ethics 

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 

ethics refer to "moral principles or rules of behaviour for deciding 

what is right or wrong" (466). It is the moral principles or values 

that generally govern the conduct of an individual or a group 

"Ethics can be viewed as the standard of behaviour by which 

conduct is judged" (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel 45). While 

profession relates to a job that needs a high level of education and 

training, professional ethics concern moral values relating to a 

particular profession. 

 

The Need for Ethics 

In order to help employees make right ethical choices, many 

organizations, including trade associations, have created formal 

codes outlining what management views as ethical or unethical in 

the course of discharging their responsibilities. "Over 90% of 1 

000 largest firms in the United States are known to adopt ethical 

codes for their employees to make better decisions" (Stanton 

604). In a recent national study, 60% of companies maintained 

Code of Ethics; 33% offered ethics training, while 33% employed 

ethics officers (45). 

 

Like other similar institutes and associations, the American 

Marketing Association has developed its own Code of Ethics. In 

the preamble to the Code, it states: "Members of the A-M.A. are 

committed to ethical professional conduct. They have joined 

together in subscribing to this Code of Ethics, embracing the 

following topics": (Bovee and Thill 57). It then goes on to list the 

topical issues covered. In concluding, the Code notes that "any 

A.M.A. member found to be in violation of any provision of this 

C.O.E may have his or her Association membership suspended or 

revoked" (57). In Nigeria, the National Institute of Marketing of 

Nigeria (NIMN), like similar institutes, has its own similar Code 

of Ethics for its members. 



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Essentially, a Code of Ethics helps in the following ways: 

✓ It helps employees/managers (educators inclusive) to 

identify what their  

organizations (or institutions) view as acceptable 

professional practices. 

✓ Written codes enable employees avoid confusion when 

deciding whether their decisions are ethical or not. 

✓ A Code of Ethics serves as an effective internal control 

mechanism on behaviour, which is preferable to external 

controls, such as government intervention. 

✓ The process of formulating such a Code encourages a 

healthy interaction among employees concerning what is 

right or wrong. 

✓ Such a code helps to arrest declining public confidence in 

the various professions involved. 

 

Code of Ethics for Educators 

Paramount in formulating a Code of Ethics is to decide 

beforehand the various individuals and interest groups that would 

be affected by a teacher's or an educator's actions/decisions. 

Typically, it is difficult to please every conceivable interest 

group. However, formulating and abiding by a Code of Ethics by 

professional teachers/lecturers would help to ensure equity, 

justice and fairness in dealing with the various groups. As a 

matter fact, the concept of social responsibility enjoins 

individuals, institutions and organizations, especially those 

engaged in one form of business or the other, to weigh their 

actions or decisions in terms of their overall impact on the 

society as a whole. Failure to take cognizance of this has, more 

often than not, attracted government intervention/regulations. 

Perhaps, in line with this realization, the Association of American 

Educators (AAE) developed a Code of Ethics designed to guide 

educators, both in the public and private educational institutions 

in the United States. In its overview, the Code notes: 



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✓ The professional educator strives to create a learning 

environment that nurtures to fulfillment the potential of all 

students. 

✓ The professional educator acts with conscientious effort to 

exemplify the highest ethical standards. 

✓ The professional educator responsibly accepts that every 

child has a right to an uninterrupted education free from 

strikes or any other work stoppage tactics (Code of Ethics 

for Educators). 

The Code then went on to unveil a list of what is ethically 

expected of each educator in dealing with such interest groups as 

students, professional colleagues, practices and performance as 

well as parents and the community. 

 

Similarly, the state of Florida, in the same United States, came up 

with a Code of Ethics for professional educators in the state, with 

a provision that "violation of any of these principles shall subject 

the individual to revocation or suspension of the individual 

educator's certificate or the other penalties as provided by law" 

(principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession 

in Florida). It is apparent that these codes were developed in 

order to ensure high level of professionalism in the teaching 

profession. 

 

Ethics for Language Teaching in Nigeria 

Besides the Teachers Registration Council, which was set up not 

long ago to standardize and regulate the teaching profession, 

there is not much in the literature to indicate the existence of a 

Code of Ethics for teaching, particularly the teaching of a 

language or languages in Nigeria. As such, there are varying 

degrees of language teaching experiences in higher institutions in 

the country, depending on the particular institution and the 

disposition of its management and the teachers/lecturers. This 

could substantially account for the perennial poor performance of 



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                                   143 

 

students in languages, especially English, since most of the 

teachers are graduates of these higher institutions. There is no 

doubt that cultivating and abiding by a Code of Ethics can go a 

long way in improving both teachers and students' competence 

and performance in the language. 

 

Observations/Findings 

Professional Competence 

The starting point for developing professional ethics is the 

cultivation of professional skill and competence. It is the 

foundation for professional ethical conduct. To make professional 

ethical demands from an incompetent professional is likened to 

erecting a giant building using inferior or poor quality materials. 

The various incidences of collapsed buildings in the country 

demonstrate the consequences of erecting structures on faulty 

foundations or with poor quality materials. Professionalism 

entails that an individual must be willing and ready to:  

✓ Undergo the necessary training in order to acquire the 

relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and attitudes 

necessary to excel in the chosen (teaching) job.  

✓ Abide by professional ethics set down by the relevant 

authorities. 

✓ Fulfill his/her statutory obligations. 

✓ Be socially responsible and responsive (Obiudo 337). 

There is no doubt that a language teacher possessing this kind of 

background would be more disposed to abiding by set ethical 

standards. 

 

Regular Attendance to Classes 

Professional ethics demand that language teachers should show a 

high sense of commitment to their job and students' welfare by 

attending scheduled classes promptly and taking deliberate steps 

to effectively cover the specified syllabuses. Inability to attend 



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                                   144 

 

classes regularly without justification would portray the affected 

teacher as irresponsible and uncaring. 

 

Availability of Standard Texts 

It has become customary for a teacher/lecturer to make available 

his/her sponsored publication(s) for students to buy. At its face 

value, there is nothing wrong with this. However, such texts 

should meet certain specified standards approved by the relevant 

authorities and also be offered to the students in a humane 

manner expected of a dignified academic environment, In some 

institutions, such texts are submitted to established committees, 

which recommend or decide whether texts should be sold, 

including their prices. Some even direct that such texts be placed 

in the bookshops where students could buy them if they so desire. 

 

Exchange of Grades for Money 

The practice of exchanging money for grades, popularly known 

as "sorting", has gained currency in many higher institutions of 

learning in the country. This is a height of unethical conduct, and 

everything must be done to discourage and or eliminate it. 

Sometimes, grades are awarded for other considerations apart 

from merit. All these are unethical and should be discouraged. 

 

Victimization of Students 

Sometimes, some teachers/lecturers victimize their students based 

on sentiments or unresolved personal issues. Such behaviour is 

not healthy for proper teaching and learning and must be 

discouraged as well. 

The list is a long one, and there is no deliberate attempt to 

enumerate all of them. The point being made is that high ethical 

standards are essential for healthy teaching and learning. As such, 

deliberate efforts should be made to develop a Code of Ethics for 

teaching where it does not exist. For the teaching and learning of 

a second language such as English, the stakes are even higher. 



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                                   145 

 

Model of Ethical Decisions 

It is not always easy to arrive at ethical decisions. The following 

criteria are, however, suggested as a guide for arriving at ethical 

decisions: 

❖ Identify the various decision options and the likely 

consequences of each course of action, 

❖ Identify all the individuals and groups that will be 

affected by such a course of action. 

❖ Do a cost-benefit analysis of each option from the point of 

view of the affected parties, taking into consideration their 

needs and interests. 

❖ Rank the costs and benefits of each option and make 

decision(s) (Stanton 604). 

The personalized model takes the form of the following 

questions: 

❖ Would I do this to a friend? 

❖ Would I be willing to have this done to me? 

❖ Would I be embarrassed if the action is publicized 

nationally? 

❖ How fair is the action to the parties concerned? (Stanton 

604). 

 

Conclusion 

Ethical issues will continue to take the frontline in all spheres of 

human discipline, especially teaching. While making ethical 

decisions could be quite challenging, the willingness and 

readiness to be ethical, supported by an enabling environment, 

can go a long way in making the difference. It will enhance 

productivity, promote good teacher/student relationship, restore 

declining public confidence in teaching as well as promote the 

image of the individuals and institutions involved. 



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Recommendations 

1. Conscious and deliberate efforts should be made to 

develop a Code of Ethics to guide language teaching in 

the various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria, 

where it does not exist. This must be backed by 

enforcement in order to make it meaningful. There should 

be a national Code of Ethics for all higher institutions in 

the country on identified common issues, while individual 

institutions should be encouraged to develop their own 

Codes peculiar to their own local environments. For 

instance, "sorting", sexual harassment, sale of sub-

standard texts, incompetence, etc. cannot be justified in 

any higher institution in the country. However, the syllabi 

to be covered as well as the means of covering them are 

the prerogatives of individual institutions. 

2. Besides the Teachers Registration Council, there should 

be a professional institute or association to regulate 

language teaching in Nigeria. Such an agency plays vital 

roles in formulating a Code of Ethics and enforcing it 

among members. 

3. There should be continuous training and re-training of 

language teachers in order to constantly remind and keep 

them updated on what are expected of them. 

4. The government and management of the various 

institutions should provide the enabling environment for 

teachers of language to embrace and uphold ethical 

standards. For instance, teachers should be well 

remunerated, while incentives should be extended to those 

who uphold high ethical standards in their jobs 

5. Ethics officers should be appointed to enforce ethical 

standards among teachers of language in the various 

higher institutions in the country. 



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                                   147 

 

6. Compliance with set ethical standards should form part of 

the criteria for staff appraisal, especially when the issue of 

promotion is under consideration. 

7. Ethics should be incorporated into the teaching and 

training curricula. 

Emmanuel Obiudo, 

Paul University, Awka 

Lauretta Chinyeaka 

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

Works Cited 

Baldeh, F. Better English Language Learning and Teaching: 

Nsukka: Fulladu Publishing Company, 1991. 

Bovee, C.L. & J.V. Thill. Marketing. US: McGraw Hills Inc., 

1992. 

Lamb, C.W., J.F. Hair and Carl McDaniel. Essentials of  

Marketing. Ohio: South-Western College Publishing, 

1999. 

Obiudo, E.O. "Professionalism in Marketing". Marketing 

Hallmark: Journal 5.1 (2007): 331-340. 

Obiudo, E.O. "Marketing Ethics". A Paper Presented at the 

Inauguration of the National Association of Marketing 

Students, St. Paul's University College, Awka, 2003. 

Stanton, W.J. et al. Marketing. International Edition. US: 

Irwin/McGraw Hills Inc., 1997. 

"Code of Ethics for Education". Association of American 

Educators. Google.n.d. I I April 2011. 

"Code of Ethics- Education Profession". Florida Department of 

Education. Google.n.d. 11 April 2011 

 


