Teachers who drink alcohol in the morning to be caned – RDC

Teachers should desist from the habit of consuming alcohol during school hours as it dents their integrity and professionalism.

Budaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Trouble and humiliation awaits teachers in Budaka who still enjoy the bottle to the extent of sipping during daytime as schools reopen for semi candidates next week.

Parents and the public have been urged by the Budaka Resident District Commissioner Tom Chesol to exercise their mandate and discipline by caning any teacher found drinking in the morning.

The RDC has warned teachers both in government aided and private schools to desist from the habit of consuming alcohol during school hours, saying that the act of drinking alcohol dents their integrity and professionalism.

“There is that tendency of teachers taking alcohol very early in the morning before one goes into class,” Chesol said. “Such teachers should just be disciplined because they will be undermining the professional code of ethics. The community has that mandate to take disciplinary action against such errant teachers by caning if found very early in the morning drinking alcohol and during school hours because teachers are respected people in the community and they have to be exemplary.”

Chesol was meeting headteachers from both secondary and primary schools at Bugwere High School, ahead of the re-opening of schools for semi-candidates which is slated for March 1, 2021. He noted with great concern that there are some teachers who have adamantly made it a habit to continue taking alcohol before one steps into a class which act must stop with immediate effect.

He challenged the headteachers to exercise their duties to ensure that schools run smoothly by reporting teachers who have absconded from their duty and have continued to defy the directives. Chessol added that they should also adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines by complying with the standard operating procedures issued by the Ministries of Health and Education, as students and pupils prepare to return to schools.

The District Education Officer Paul Higenyi warned that teachers who fail to submit regular reports will have their salary withheld for defying the ministry directives. He further cautioned the headteachers to make sure all the SOPs are in place because the government has done its part to release funds.

The District Health Officer Dr. Elisa Mulwani warned that COVID-19 cases in the district could surge out of control if the general public continues to relax in implementing preventive measures against the virus. “COVID-19 cases in the district could rise out of proportion if the public fails to observe the SOPs,” Dr Elisa Mulwani explained. “Covid-19 is not politics but real. So we should be more careful and observe the laid down guidelines issued by the ministry of health.”

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