Use mid-term break to guide your children
Maranda High School students outside a dormitory that was set on fire by suspected arsonists.
The mid-term break is not only for students to relax their minds from academic stress; it can also be the perfect time for parents to bond with their children and, most importantly, talk to them about the indiscipline in schools.
Most parents have forsaken their duty of imparting moral values into their children. Many children are left with househelps, who don’t care about their behaviour. It is high time parents knew that parenting is not all about providing food, shelter and clothing. It’s spiritual, physical and emotional. A child needs parental love, care and attention while growing up.
Parents should stop assuming things. They must normalise engaging their children in positive talk about random topics. This helps the parent to identify some aspects like the child’s fears and joys, needs and other vital and useful information.
Parents need to be friendly with their children so that they can open up to them in a favourable environment. Parents should connect with their children emotionally and spiritually.
Besides, let parents use the mid-term break to nourish their children spiritually by taking them to a place of worship or inviting spiritual leaders home to minister to them. These students need guidance. Students should not be left at home watching movies as the parents go to worship.
Sophy Hayo, Narok
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It’s defeatist to say that schools are burning due to poor parenting and underpaid and demoralised teachers. That is just mob psychology. It’s upon the parents to discipline, guide and counsel their children.
The courts should deliver justice to the errant students fairly so that the culprits can serve as a lesson to the rest of the students.
Nicholas Murithi, Nyeri
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Over the past month, boarding secondary schools have been in a crisis. Nobody can tell why students are burning their schools.
School administrations and the Education ministry should start guidance and counselling sessions for students. Teachers should ensure that students are not stressed while in school and address their issues calmly.
Mental health issues, including depression, should be explored as a possible cause of the problems. Students should have a positive attitude towards school and a healthy relationship with their teachers and other staff.
Students who break the rules and regulations should be punished before counselling, and extreme indiscipline should be dealt with immediately.
The guidance and counselling departments should ensure all the grievances are addressed.
Joyce Ngari, Narok
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The wave of school unrest has caused both mental and financial distress to many parents. However, it’s a few students at fault and all should not be made to equally share the penalties.
Charles Siele, Kakamega
