As the government continues its fight against alcoholism, the Teachers Service Commission has moved to rehabilitate affected teachers in Murang’a county.
County TSC director Fredrick Ng’ang’a said the commission rehabilitated eight teachers between January and March this year.
Three of them have successfully completed their rehabilitation and have resumed teaching while the rest are still in the process.
But Ng’ang’a noted that the prevalence of alcoholism has declined in the past few years owing to consistent sensitisation by the commission.
He said alcoholism has dealt a big blow to the teaching fraternity, with many teachers falling victim and losing their livelihoods.
Alcoholism, he pointed out, diminishes educators’ teaching capability and performance, and negatively impacts their students’ performances.
Ng'ang'a said, however, interdicting addicted teachers is not a solution to the challenge and presents others issues such as teachers shortage.
“Addiction often causes teachers to engage in frequent absenteeism and generally lowers the quality of education they offer to learners. The wellness department under TSC has however been working to have them rehabilitated instead of interdicting them,” he said.
Once rehabilitated, the teachers are offered the chance to choose their preferred school to be assigned and given a mentor to ensure they don’t fall back into drinking.
But Ng’ang’a noted that the commission is only able to rehabilitate teachers who admit that they have a problem and are willing to undertake treatment.
Other measures TSC is putting in place to fight alcoholism include thorough sensitisation of new recruits on the dangers of addiction.
Earlier this year, TSC employed 788 teachers in Murang’a county as part of a nationwide recruitment exercise.
“The new teachers have undergone numerous sensitisation sessions on alcoholism and drug abuse which we have seen lower their prevalence among teachers as it ensures they don’t overindulge in alcohol consumption,” Ng'ang'a said.
Teachers, he said, should be on the frontline of fighting alcoholism that has devastated the lives of many local youths, prompting the government to take action.
Ng’ang’a said teachers should be role models to their learners and shun vices such as alcoholism that have ravaging effects on their lives.
The director said the county has a shortfall of 1,027 teachers for Junior Secondary Schools and 1,257 teachers for secondary schools.
Primary schools have a shortage of 143, with the commission currently in the process of recruiting replacements for teachers who have left the profession including 52 for primary schools and 37 for secondary schools.
