INTRODUCTION

It is important to locate concept of teachers’ professionalism in relation to

changing historical, political and social contexts because multiple meanings have changed and
developed over time (Hilferty, 2008). The concept of professionalism is used in different senses
and somewhat difficult to define. For example, in daily language, it is generally used to mean an
activity for which one is paid as opposed to doing voluntarily. The term is also used to classify
the status of occupation groups in terms of respectability (Kennedy, 2007).

CONCEPT OF PROFESSION
Profession: A profession is a vocation requiring advanced education and Training (Garner,
2004).

It may also be defined as a learned activity that involves formal training, but within a broad
intellectual context (Bell, 1973).

According to Boone (2001), professions are based on:

“Scientific and philosophical facts acquired through scholarly commend you. Individuals who
enter a profession do so for reasons that distinguish them from other work or vocations. They
understand that their work renders a unique public service with a scientific or philosophical
basis and/or body of knowledge that requires an extended period of academic and hands-on
preparation. Professions are also based on specialized skills necessary for the professional to
perform in the public service.”

A number of characteristics of professions are identified as:

 First, professions are based on philosophy acquired through advanced training.

 Second, professionals render unique public services which require extensive training.
 Third, professional work needs thorough preparation because of its unique nature.
 Fourth, professions are based on specialized skill,
 Fifth, professional services should be rendered for the benefit of the public.

The Australian Council of Professions (2004) defined a profession in the following terms:

“A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who follow to ethical standards and uphold
themselves to, and are accepted by, the public as possessing special knowledge and skills in a
widely recognized body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high
level, and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interest of others.
It is characteristic in the definition of a profession that a code of ethics governs the activities of
each profession. Such codes require behavior and practice beyond the personal moral
obligations of an individual. They define and demand high standards of behavior in respect to

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the services provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues.
Further, these codes are enforced by the profession and are acknowledged and
accepted by the community.”

This definition identifies a number of important characteristics of professions.

 First, that a profession must be disciplined.

 Second, a profession must follow to certain ethical standards which are accepted as
binding on all members of that profession. These standards are prescribed in what is
referred to as a code of ethics.
 Third, members of a profession have special knowledge and skills due to their wide and
special training in a particular field.
 Fourth, professions must offer their services for the benefit of the entire public and not
for their own personal gain.
 Fifth, professionals are expected to have high standards of behavior at all times because
of the sensitive nature of the services they provide to the public.
 Sixth, the codes of conduct which regulate the professionals are enforced against them
and are acknowledged even by the society (Juman & Tom, 2001).

Further, Juma and Tom (2001) explained that when one elects to become a member of the bar,
one becomes a member of the legal profession, and as a member of the legal profession, one
voluntarily submits to the rules of professional conduct that govern the way in which members of
the legal profession are expected to behave and conduct their business. This is a reminder to
anyone who would like to join any profession as this rule cuts across all professions in the world.

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