Perceptions and Practices of Ethical Values in Teaching among Secondary School Subject Specialists in Malakand Division: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

This study sought to establish attitudes of subject specialists in secondary schools in Malakand Division on the implementation of core ethical values of honesty, justice, respect for others, and trustworthiness in their teaching practices. The results show that honesty, respect for others and being trustworthy are well recognized and appreciated by the educators as instrumental qualities of professional behavior. By comparison, the value of justice was felt with disjoints and with a great deal of reservations. The high emphasis on honesty is in line with other studies carried out in other parts of Pakistan. For example, Khan (2021a) found that in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, secondary school teachers do recognize honesty as an integral part of their professional obligations, mostly because of its immediate effect on students’ trust and assessment methods’ integrity. Similarly, Ahmad (2022a) observes that educators in urban Punjab value honesty in their relations with students and grading, and this is basic to their moral and religious obligations. The recognition of respect for others as a vital ethical value also aligns with existing literature. Shah (2021) and Nawaz (2020a) found that Pakistani educators view respect for students, colleagues, and community members as a fundamental principle of Islamic pedagogical ethics. These studies underscore that in collectivist and religiously oriented societies, such as many regions of Pakistan, respect is intricately linked to cultural and spiritual values.