How parents cover up for their children mess in schools

Details of how some parents cover up their children's indiscipline have been exposed following an investigation into causes of unrest in schools.

The Ministry of Education report reveals that some parents defend the lies peddled by their children and even appeal against cases lodged in court to protect their own.

The report reveals a case in which the mother of one student lied to the school principal about the person presented to the institution as her representative after the student was sent away for indiscipline.

In this particular case, the report says, a student was suspended from school with instructions that he should report back accompanied by a parent.

"The student reported back with a young man who he presented as his brother. The principal was not convinced and therefore rang the mother who confirmed that the young man was indeed the boy's brother," reads the report.

The report reveals that the principal was still not convinced, and called the boy's father, who stated that the suspended boy was his only son.

In other cases, the report finds that the legal process of dealing with student indiscipline is lengthy hence frustrating to schools efforts in the management of indiscipline.

"There were also cases of parents who went to court to challenge school management decisions on student discipline," reads the report.

The report confirms that in cases where a court decided that a student had to be readmitted, the school had to comply.

Overall, there was little supervision of students in most schools, especially at night and during the weekends.