ABSTRACT: This study delves into the realm of secretarial ethics, examining both the challenges and opportunities inherent in ethical conduct for secretaries. Conducted within colleges of education in the north-western States of Nigeria, the research delves into the ethical dilemmas faced by secretaries and the potential benefits of upholding principles such as honor, integrity, and trustworthiness in their professional practice. Employing an interpretive qualitative approach, the study engaged six human resource managers directly involved with secretarial staff and six office technology and management (OTM) lecturers responsible for training future secretaries. Data analysis was facilitated using Nvivo 10 software to ensure rigor and accuracy. Given the sensitive nature of secretarial duties, which often involve handling confidential organizational information, the study underscores the indispensable role of ethical behavior in the secretary's profession. It concludes that maintaining ethical standards is paramount, particularly as secretaries are entrusted with safeguarding organizations' privileged decision-making processes. Finally, the study recommends recognizing and rewarding secretaries who demonstrate ethical conduct as a means to incentivize and perpetuate such behavior, serving as positive examples for their peers.

Keywords: Ethical practice, Challenges and Prospects, Unethical practice, Secretarial practice