More than a dozen Taiwanese universities have reportedly launched a system of psychological leave.
Psychological leave allows students to take a break from their studies if they feel burnt out and need time to recover.
Schools allow students to take three days off per semester without a doctor’s note, but teachers and universities’ psychological counseling centers are required to ask them about their health. Despite the news of a low birthrate in Taiwan, this measure is good news for higher education.
However, teachers need psychological leave too, especially part-time staff or substitute teachers who are not yet formal teachers. Often, the procedure for teachers to take leave is inconvenient.
First, they need to find another teacher to substitute for their classes or schedule time to make up for missed hours. Next, taking leave from work might result in receiving unfavorable feedback on their teacher’s evaluation at the end of the semester. Therefore, most teachers are reluctant to take any leave unless it is absolutely necessary.
In Taiwan, university teachers are responsible for three major tasks: teaching, research and administration. The chance for promotion is heavily dependent on a teacher’s research performance, as this aspect is considered the most important part of their work. Since writing research papers and preparing for classes requires a lot of time, universities might reward teachers by reducing teaching hours to relieve their burden, allowing them to focus on research.
However, although the ideal situation, in many cases it is not possible to meet these expectations. For example, when it comes to handling student needs, teachers are tasked with marking students’ schoolwork, their daily lives and other sources of stress.
Teachers also need to participate in meetings, such as administrative and academic seminars, while trying hard to recruit students — which could contribute to a fragmented research schedule.
The result is that it might not always be easy for teachers to take leave. Many teachers feel under pressure, attending work even when they are sick for fear of student complaints that could affect their evaluation.
Students can take psychological leave, but the pressure on teachers is not insubstantial in comparison. Many teachers suffer physical and psychological problems due to research pressures, while insomnia and anxiety is common in this profession. Naturally, this would indirectly impact the quality of teaching.
While the public focuses on students’ physical and mental health, teachers’ wellbeing is also an important issue. They are humans, too, after all. As universities create a friendly environment with a virtuous cycle for students, universities should also provide teachers with a chance to catch their breath while caring for students.
Liu Wei-ting is a university assistant professor.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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