Teacher dismissed and others sanctioned in education sector
One public school teacher was sacked last year after repeatedly not showing up for work, while three other educators received reprimands or fines.
The sanctions against educators are listed in the 2022 annual report by the Education Service Commission, handed to President Nikos Christodoulides in late July.
Some of the disciplinary cases handled by the commission had been pending since 2021.
The most serious cases ended with the ultimate administrative penalty for a civil servant – dismissal. The male teacher in question had been “absent from his duties without permission from the relevant authority.”
He got fired for “deliberate dereliction of duty,” the commission report states.
The report describes four other cases which led to sanctioning teachers.
The first involved a teacher alleged to have been remiss of fulfilling his duties “faithfully and unfailingly.” The report does not provide details about the alleged infractions. This teacher was eventually vindicated, and no sanctions imposed.
Another teacher got into trouble for “holding shares or other interest in a non-public company or partnership or other enterprise of a private nature, without the permission of the finance minister.” The punishment – a mere reprimand.
In another case, a teacher’s conduct was deemed as discrediting his profession, “possibly leading to a shattering of the public’s trust in the education service.” Again, no details are given. The person received a severe reprimand and was temporarily deprived of his annual statutory salary increment.
And in the last disciplinary case, a teacher was accused of conduct “leading to violation of the obligation for faithful and unfailing execution of duties.” Here, the Education Service Commission slapped a fine as well as a severe reprimand on the errant educator.
Also, during 2022, the ministry of education had recommended to the Education Service Commission that three teachers be suspended. In two cases the commission accepted the recommendation; in the third case the ministry subsequently came back with a different recommendation for closing the file and retiring the teacher.
In order of increasing severity, the sanctions stipulated in the disciplinary code for teachers are: reprimand; severe reprimand; disciplinary transfer; cessation of the annual salary increment; delayed payment of the annual salary increment; a monetary fine not exceeding three months’ worth of wages; downgrading on the pay scale; demotion to a lower rank; forced retirement; dismissal.