---
title: "Teacher Discipline"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/education-law-en/teacher-discipline-en"
field: "Education Law"
description: "Teacher discipline: Article 19 — procedure and limits of prosecution, Article 12 — appeal, Article 21 — obligations. Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-06-27"
updated: "2026-11-07"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Teacher Discipline

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/education-law-en/teacher-discipline-en

Teacher discipline in education law follows the general regime of school discipline: Article 19 of the Law on General Education regulates disciplinary prosecution in respect of both the pupil and the teacher. To this are added Article 12 — the right of appeal — and Article 21 — the teacher's obligations, which create the normative basis of disciplinary liability. Disciplinary liability under labour legislation is a separate layer applied as an additional regime; this page is carried by the law on general education.

## The general standard of disciplinary prosecution — Article 19

Under paragraph 2 of Article 19, the requirements established by the school's internal rules, the disciplinary prosecution and the sanction must be reasonable, justified and proportionate. Prosecution is possible only in the cases provided for by the internal rules and in the prescribed manner, through a proper and fair procedure. During the prosecution the school is obliged to explain to the teacher the essence of the offence committed — a vague accusation invalidates the process.

Two fundamental limits protect the teacher as well: it is impermissible for a school to prosecute a teacher for an act committed during time free from school or outside the school's territory; and during disciplinary prosecution the teacher has the right of silence — though silence does not release from liability. A cruel sanction or one violating dignity is likewise impermissible.

## The teacher's obligations — the normative basis of discipline

Article 21 establishes the teacher's obligations: providing quality education; taking into account the educational needs of a pupil with special educational needs; the pupil's personal development; the teacher's own professional development and participation in the professional development and career advancement scheme; observance of the teacher's code of professional ethics; fulfilment of obligations imposed by legislation and the employment contract; and provision of information on the state of health. A breach of precisely these obligations becomes the subject of a disciplinary accusation. Among the teacher's rights, the qualification provision stands out: once in 6 years the teacher may request unpaid leave of up to 1 year with the workplace preserved.

The law is categorical about the person of the teacher: a teacher cannot be a person convicted of an intentional crime whose conviction has not been lifted. The code of ethics and the internal rules define which conduct counts as a breach — the law requires that this definition be detailed.

The full text is available on legal.ge after signing in: https://legal.ge/en/service/education-law-en/teacher-discipline-en

### Which norm governs teacher discipline?

Article 19 of the Law on General Education — the prosecution procedure, Article 12 — appeal, and Article 21 — the teacher's obligations.

### What limits apply to prosecution?

Only in cases provided for by the internal rules, through a fair procedure; prosecution for acts outside school time or territory is impermissible.

### Does the teacher have the right of silence?

Yes — during disciplinary prosecution, though it does not release from liability.

### Where is a decision challenged?

In the school's complaint mechanism, the mandatur service or the court, with the right to full compensation of damage.