The Teachers Service Commission, has put forward guidelines to regulate teachers who are recurrent alcoholics.
One of the steps TSC has recommended to address these teachers who engage in chronic drinking is sending them to rehabilitation centers.
The issue of alcoholism has been highlighted as one of the major factors contributing to absenteeism and job loss among teachers, particularly among male educators.
The commission has urged administrators, teachers, and partners to offer psychosocial support to the afflicted instructors.
Incase admitted to recovery/rehabilitation facilities, the afflicted instructors would be granted a 90-day leave to finish the program.
As per to the TSC recommendations, “Once the immediate supervisor detects a teacher who has an alcohol or drug-related problem, they should refer them to the county or sub-county director, who should refer the patient to the wellness division at the TSC headquarters.”
Just before submitting the victim to a rehab or psychiatric facility, the wellness officer will ask the teacher to bring a next of kin to assist in the case assessment.
The teacher should next submit a request for sick leave through their respective county directors, including the referral from the wellness officer.
A teacher is frequently released after the 90-day period, at which point they must visit the TSC wellness section with a discharge summary and a certificate from the facility in order to receive a referral to be posted to another school.
