What’s ailing our society as cases of school fires increase?

Five more schools were set ablaze yesterday as the wave of school fires continued to sweep across the country. It is evident that something has gone terribly wrong in our schools. Laying a finger on what it is that is fuelling the wanton arson is the biggest headache for education stakeholders.

Is it a failure in parental upbringing and discipline? Does the apparent erosion of norms and morals in society and the absence of role models have a bearing on the current trend? Where those who kill, steal and destroy roam the streets as free men?

And what can be deduced from the revelation that juvenile remand homes are overcrowded? Or that almost every police station in the country has a juvenile remand section.

So why are children who ideally should represent innocence rebelling and increasingly taking to crime at a tender age when they should be in school?

No doubt, the numerous cases of juvenile delinquency calls for more serious action. One way is to involve child psychologists and socialogists; another way is to ensure that institutions like approved schools that functioned like correctional institutions in the past, are set up across the country.

Yet one sure way is to ensure that adults and particularly those in positions of influence uphold high morals because the youngsters inadvertently ape what their leaders do.