Mowes Bwengye Tumwijukye, the Kabale District Education Officer has expressed concern over increasing alcohol abuse among secondary school science teachers.
He says many have spent their enhanced salaries on drinking instead of investing in productive ventures or focusing on their teaching responsibilities.
The government increased salaries for science teachers starting in the 2022/2023 financial year.
Graduate science teachers now earn about four million shillings per month, while science head teachers earn up to 6.5 million shillings.
He was speaking during the official handover of the former National Teachers’ College (NTC) Kabale to the UNITE Council yesterday.
Bwengye says the salary enhancement has, in some cases, had unintended consequences. Bwengye reports that the district has so far lost two teachers due to alcohol-related problems and that some teachers no longer dedicate sufficient time to classroom instruction because they spend much of their time in bars.
Professor James Tumwine, Dean of the School of Medicine at Kabale University and former Chairperson of the Governing Council of NTC Kabale, calls for the establishment of a support committee comprising social workers and counselors to assist teachers and students facing alcohol and other social challenges.
By URN
Leave a Reply