Civic and human rights policies

Teacher policy should also be linked to national civic and human rights legislation and policies. Teachers are called upon to instruct future citizens. They are also expected to serve as role models for a nation’s commitment to basic civic and human rights, including non-discrimination in education and the larger society. Teacher policy needs to establish a framework for initial education, professional development and ethical codes that enshrines professional rights and responsibilities, and gives teachers the tools to teach and behave according to the highest professional standards, as model citizens (Tomasevski, 2004; UNESCO, 2014b).