Teachers Caught Unaware Following New TSC Guidelines On Alcoholism.
Alcoholism has become a major problem affecting both young and old teachers in the teaching profession.
It has been associated with economical, psychological and social challenges arising from family, community or work-related issues.
Many teachers have lost their jobs and others have been interdicted due to alcoholism. Cases of absenteeism, missing lessons among criminal offences committed by teachers have been associated with abuse of alcohol.
Due to this, the newly issued TSC guidelines on alcoholism are meant to tame alcoholism among teachers.
Among the guidelines issued, rehabilitation for the affected teacher is key. Before one is committed to a rehabilitation centre, the head of the institution, teachers and the spouse should work hand in hand to help the teacher first.
If the problem persists and the teacher becomes chronic in alcoholism, the next step is to forward the teacher to the sub-county director, then the county director who will intern forward the teacher to the wellness Office in TSC headquarters.
The wellness officer will further assess the case. If need be the affected teacher can either be committed to a psychiatric institution or a rehabilitation centre depending on each case.
The next of kin should assist the affected teacher to apply for sick leave from the county director. An admission letter from any rehabilitation centre and the referral letter from the wellness officer must be presented when applying for leave. The teacher is granted sick leave for three months only.
The teacher will go through the programmes in the rehab for ninety days after which, he/ she should report back to the wellness officer with a discharge summary from the centre for reposting.
A recommendation letter from the facility must be attached to the discharge summary. However, the teacher service commission only allows two sick leaves for the affected teachers ( affected by drug abuse ) throughout their teaching period.
This, therefore, implies that if taken for rehabilitation for a second time but the teacher doesn’t reform he or she will be interdicted and dismissed or removed from the TSC register.
Teacher Service Commission gazettes the names of teachers from time to time who have been removed from the register due to various cases after going through a disciplinary process.
After you have been deregistered by TSC it means you cannot teach in any school be it private or public here in Kenya.
TSC has asked heads of institutions to help teachers with alcohol problems. Other teachers are also warned against covering up for their colleagues when not in school by teaching their lessons.
