The World Health Organization places Uganda as the highest alcohol consuming nation in Africa. Though it is disputed, we can confidently say that Uganda is a large consumer of alcohol. Certainly, alcohol production and sales are a leading business in Uganda. Through sales, breweries are the highest tax paying corporate entities in Uganda. This is evident through the glaring billboards in Ugandan towns and cities. When travelling through the highways of Uganda we can witness many large trucks (now also the three-wheelers) transporting hundreds of beer crates across the country. Perhaps, the high profit and huge taxes base blinds the relevant authorities to see the malevolence that alcoholism brings on its people, especially on youth and school going children.
We can assuredly say that adolescents as young as 12 to 14 years of age are the most adversely affected by this social malady. Unfortunately, this social evil is escalating to a skyrocketing proportion year after year. It is high time we put an end to it for the wellbeing of growing youth on whom the future depends on.
In some regions of the country, every family is burdened with an alcoholic addict who is often considered a ‘victim’. Many education institutions frequently dismiss a considerable number of learners due to this misbehaviour. An addicted adolescent often becomes an unbearable nuisance as an adult. With alcoholic learners and young adults, institutions of learning and earning often suffer great losses which are often not quantified.
It is sad to note that this cancerous malady is not discussed and easily condoned. The more we condone, we are pushing more and more youth and families to peril. Advertising and promoting alcohol, its new products and brands, and its growing profits is a sign that we are unconcerned about the wellbeing of youth and undermine social progress. For example, in Gulu city, on the Gulu-Kampala Highway monument-like huge billboards and representations of popular alcoholic brands promoting alcohol consumption. Advertising alcohol cannot be just pushed away as ‘it is part of the business’. A right-thinking citizen should ask, ‘Where is the corporate responsibility?’
These manifestations of the society loudly say that it values profit, business, entertainment, easy-living, and leisure more important than moral upbringing of the young minds. Let us put it in a global perspective: ‘The contribution of alcohol consumption to global mortality is estimated to be 5.3 % which is higher than mortality due to tuberculosis (2.3 %), HIV/AIDS (1.8 %), diabetes (2.8 %) and road injuries (2.5 %). Alcohol use leads to about 3 million deaths globally. It is the third leading risk factor for poor health globally and harmful use of alcohol was responsible for almost 4% of all deaths in the world, according to the estimates for 2018.’
Now let us put it in our context: ‘Butabika Hospital records show that during child and adolescent clinic days that run every Tuesday and Wednesday, over 100 children (minors, those below the age of 18) are diagnosed with mental illness resulting from alcohol and substance abuse.’ Alcohol is an easily accessible substance which is cheap, easily carried, and concealed. Though it is clearly marked, ‘Not to be sold to persons below 18 years of age,’ it is sold without hindrance or guilt of conscience. Perhaps, adults send children to buy them.
Various reports and research a few years ago record that in Uganda, 23% of school-going children (12 to 24 years) use addictive substances, especially alcohol (19.3%) and Kuber (smokeless tobacco, used sublingually) at 4.4%. More recent reports mention up to 28% of Ugandan adolescents, including girls, take alcohol. In the process of addiction, early initiation is significant; it is always found that over a third begin their drinking habits before the age of 18. Alcoholism remains as a leading cause of school dropout in Uganda.
Cheap and easily accessible commercial Spirits—different brands of waragi, vodica and various flavoured and sweetened energy drinks make children and young people easily become addicted. They are easily carried in tiny bottles and sockets and pocket-friendly for high school boys and girls as little as 200 to 1,000 Uganda Shillings. Certainly, they use crude ingredients and harmful chemicals.
Without any doubt, alcohol use greatly affects a student’s quality of learning and academic performance, leading to drop out of school. They are prone to making changes to the extent that they feel socially accepted. This affects their emotional stability, making right judgment and eventually loss of self-esteem. Other eventual problems and grave mistakes such as drug abuse, sex abuse, traffic accidents, suicides and many other problems of violence are sure to come. The risk of damage to vital organs such as brain, liver, and kidneys and sexual dysfunction is highly possible.
Alcoholism is the leading cause of school and academic problems such as absenteeism, lower grades, disinterest in school, unwanted, unplanned and unprotected sexual activity, and physical harm inflicted on oneself and others. The only decision a school can take on a student with alcoholic issues is immediate dismissal, which oftentimes does not root out the problem on the minor concerned. But at the same time, the schools do not have another option, so as to safeguard the name of the school and to protect other innocent learners.
Now it is a communal task of the government bodies, educational leaders, elders in the society and above all parents to work together and fight this vice sooner than later. Priority should be given to the wellbeing of children, minors and youth in school with stricter laws and mindful supervision.
Rev. Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB
Priest and school administrator.