Use morals to help students avoid crime

Our universities are supposed to be safe ivory towers of academia but criminal gangs and shadowy figures often unidentifiable to the students devastatingly lure them into crime and violence.

Reports that the victim of the recent gangland-style fatal shooting incident at Mirema in Kasarani, Nairobi, recruited university students who would be paid up to Sh5,000 to abet his criminal activities are heartbreaking.

Our national goals of education state in part that “Education should provide opportunities to the learner to develop to the fullest potential. This includes development of one’s interests, talents and character for positive contribution to the society.” And: “Education should promote acquisition of national values as enshrined in the Kenya Constitution. It should be geared towards developing a self-disciplined and ethical citizen with sound moral and religious values.”

Kenya keeps reviewing its education goals to suit its prevailing circumstances; we should be seeing the reflection of their achievement. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education should change one.

Lifetime experiences

College is filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences that build a future. For some, it creates their desired future. For others, irresponsible behaviour turns it into a defining moment. Being lured into crime may seem easy and lucrative at first but the 40th day will come when one will contend with the collateral consequences.

Students can resist temptation by studying, sporting, joining a fraternity, participating in charity, avoiding specific parties, keeping a responsible friend circle and so on. Some of these are a hard sell but the bottom line is upholding high moral and ethical standards.

Our society will prosper if students underpin their lifestyles on ethical principles. As Reiss said, people do not live their lives in moral or ethical isolation but grow up within particular moral traditions.

Dr Kapkiai (PhD) is a lecturer in the School of Education and Human Resource Development at Kisii University. [email protected].