Code Of Ethics

Membership of AMS is open to a school and not an individual person. Whilst AMS recognizes the independence of each member school, schools that join the Association undertake to abide by the following Code of Ethics.

 

Should a member school be found to have been in breach of this Code, the school’s membership of AMS shall come under review by the National Executive Committee of AMS and may be suspended or terminated.

 

It should be noted that in the following document, the word “must” indicates an obligation on the member; the word “should” is a suggestion of good practice.

 

 

1. GENERAL

 

The member school should:

 

1. nurture and promote a commitment to a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;

 

2. act honestly, with integrity and fairly, with due respect for the rights of staff, learners, parents and members of the Board of Governors;

 

3. provide ethical and educational leadership and promote the professional development of the staff in order to improve the quality of learning and teaching;

 

4. ensure that sound administrative, business and financial principles are applied in the running of the school;

 

5. exhibit moral leadership, and as such, promote the adoption and practice of a sound Islamic value system in the school;

 

6. encourage a learner-centered philosophy in order to develop

 

▪ each child to her/his full potential academically, emotionally, physically and spiritually, ▪ a community of learners who are self-disciplined and have a sound work ethic, and ▪ a code of conduct based on courtesy, mutual respect and acknowledgement of the rights of all groups in the school community;

 

7. foster positive relations amongst all its stakeholders and with neighbouring schools and the education authorities;

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8. ensure that admissions and employment practices are implemented fairly;

 

9. promote good citizenship in the school and social responsibility programs in the wider community;

 

10. implement on-going quality assurance processes to maintain and improve the quality of education in the school;

 

11. refrain from making negative comments about another member school/s;

 

12. foster and engage in positive and beneficial relationships between member schools.

 

 

1. ADMISSION OF LEARNERS

 

In all matters of admission and transfer, the member school should act fairly and professionally towards other schools, and ensure good co-operation between schools.

 

1. A member school must not initiate the transfer of a learner from another school.

 

2. Member schools are encouraged to enter into local agreements with other member schools to govern the admission of learners and should honor such agreements.

 

3. Schools operating in the same region and/or drawing from the same feeder schools should discuss mutual problems rather than change policies which leaves other schools compromised.

 

4. Whenever a learner transfers from one independent school to another, the receiving school must consult with the sending school to confirm the fees status of the learner.

 

 

1. BURSARIES and SPORTS

 

A member school should ensure that relevant details regarding bursaries are available to the public, and should recognize the following:

 

 

1. Bursaries are awarded on the basis of financial need; and

 

2. While sports and other awards may be made, AMS strongly disapproves of the practice of poaching learners from other member schools.

 

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1. STAFF

 

A member school should observe the following code of conduct with regard to staff appointments:

 

1. In the interests of collegiality, it is not appropriate for it to make direct approaches concerning appointments to members of staff of other AMS schools.

 

2. Where an applicant for a position, whether teaching, administrative or support staff, is already on the staff of another AMS school, no appointment may be made until the applicant’s present head has been informed.

 

3. Staff should be free to make inquiries about positions in other schools, without informing their own head, and without the need for consultation between the heads of the two schools.

 

4. Staff may ask for a reference and seek a position elsewhere without prejudicing their present position.

 

 

 

1. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

 

A member school must not permit the practice of corporal punishment in its school.

 

 

1. ADVERTISING

 

A member school must ensure that advertising and articles published by it are governed by professional ethics and should in no way reflect adversely on any other school.

 

In its advertising, any active member of AMS has the right to use the AMS logo and to display its certificate of membership (if issued).

 

 

1. INFORMATION TO NON-MEMBERS

 

The services rendered by AMS to a member school may not be made public to any persons, bodies, organizations, other member schools and/or companies unless otherwise agreed upon by Executive Committee.