Muzzling educators

Abstract

A recently published policy on the participation of educators in the media has led to accusations that the Education Ministry is seeking to censor their freedom of expression. The mere fact that this policy was issued by the Department for Educational Services is ironic since any attempt to muzzle educators is a disservice to the students they teach. The policy states that all educators within the educational system must seek approval from their line manager prior to any media appearances. Their request for approval must contain details re-garding the nature of the media appearance, the topics discussed, and the media house hosting them. It is also their responsibility to ensure that the request reaches the Department’s Director General, who will then determine whether approval is granted.