Teachers Suicide: KUPPPET, KUSNET Raise Alarm Over Mental Health
Teachers‘ unions have raised concern over an increase in the number of teachers committing suicide as a result of what they call unbearable working conditions.
Omboko Milemba, national chairman of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), revealed that roughly 100 teachers died by suicide in the last three years.
Milemba stated that the figure was constantly rising and asked for prompt action.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) emphasized that teachers face significant pressure and unreasonable expectations, which can lead to frustration, a sense of failure, and ultimately, suicide.
The unions declared the situation a mental health emergency that required a quick response, raising the alarm.
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According to Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori, increased alcohol use among teachers has emerged as a coping mechanism for job stress, with some resorting to self-harm.
Misori emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach, including fully funded mental health training for all school workers, to address the epidemic of mental illness in the teaching profession.
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To address the rising suicide rates, teachers’ unions have declared the rising suicide rates a mental health emergency, urging the government, education authorities, and stakeholders to take immediate action to create supportive work environments, reduce stigma, and provide access to mental health services.
Teachers Suicide: KUPPPET, KUSNET Raise Alarm Over Mental Health
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