Secondary Employment

Summary

The requester asked for policies and records regarding secondary school teachers' private business activities and conflicts of interest. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided general statutory frameworks and the Government Code of Conduct but confirmed it does not hold specific procedures on soliciting former pupils or dedicated conflict of interest frameworks.

Key Facts

• Teachers must act within statutory frameworks and maintain professional regard for school ethos.
• Relevant information on Openness, Integrity, and Accountability is found in pages 4-6 of the Isle of Man Government Code of Conduct for Public Servants.
• The Department does not hold specific communications regarding teachers soliciting current or former pupils.
• The Department does not hold specific 'conflict of interest frameworks' but conducts annual calls for declarations in March.
• The request was partially fulfilled with some information sent but not all held.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-10-23
• 2025-11-19
• 5026517
• pages 4-6
• March
• past 2 years
• 3 pages
• 1 document

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Act (information already reasonably accessible)
• Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps

Original Request

1. Please provide copies of any policies, guidance, or codes of conduct that govern secondary school teachers undertaking private business activities outside of their primary employment with the Department. 2. Please clarify whether teachers are required to declare or seek permission before operating a private business, including life coaching, mentoring, or tutoring services. 3. Please provide any recorded procedures or internal communications relating to the Department's position on teachers soliciting or engaging clients who are current or were former pupils. 4. If applicable, please provide details of any conflict of interest frameworks that would apply in such circumstances and if any potential conflicts have been brought to the attention of the Department in the past 2 years.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

• Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies
and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards
in their own attendance and punctuality.

Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.”

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. As there are also some of the relevant information available within the Isle of Man Government Code of Conduct for Public Servants in particular Specifically pages 4-6 re Openness, Integrity and Accountability. – found here : https://hr.gov.im/policies-procedures-codes-guidance-and-forms/, and https://hr.gov.im/media/1146/urn-8-code-of-conduct-for-public-servants-2017-v21- 280223.pdf

2) Please see response to part Q1 - specifically re ‘Employment and Duties of Teachers’ 3) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. By way of advice and assistance there has been no communications specifically relating to ‘teachers soliciting or engaging clients who are current or were former pupils.’ 4) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find
the information that you have requested. By way of advice and assistance the Department do not hold “any conflicts of interest frameworks”. As per the Declarations of Conflict of Interests and Gifts/Rewards guidance, a call for declarations is undertaken annually in March.
Please quote the reference number 5026517 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;

1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
   In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.