Parents to blame for failing to discipline their children

It is quite shocking and heart-wrenching that students were busted in Sam’s Discotheque in Eldoret where 500 underage revellers where arrested. The incident is an embarrassment to all parents and the nation as a whole.

The blame has been shifted to the police for having slept on the job. But before pointing fingers at police officers, it is crucial and equally vital we ask these questions: Who are these minors? Do they have parents? Were their parents aware of their whereabouts?

Since when did parental responsibility shift to police officers?

Nonetheless, I presume that the owner of the club is also a parent and some of the employees there are also parents. That they allowed in minors so that they can reap profits from them is irresponsibility of the highest order.

Parents no longer guide their children and no longer discipline them. Worse still, parents fear their children nowadays to the extent that when they are away from home, they feel a sigh of relief. Shame on parents.

{Kiplimo Timothy, Narok}

The bizarre and abhorrent acts that happened at Sam’s Discotheque should be condemned in the strongest terms possible.

According to police, students aged between 12 and 18 were reportedly found smoking bhang, chewing khat and engaging in debauchery. This is not the first time such despicable acts are happening. Recently, secondary school students were caught doing the same in Kirinyaga County.

Methinks that our society is going to grapple with such moral decadence for a long time to come.

It is high time parents and guardians take their responsibility of inculcating moral values in their children seriously. Educating children without morals is creating a menace in society.

{Joseph Muthama, Thika}

In the recent past, our media has been awash with reports of students engaging in immoral activities.

First, was the act of disappearance by Stephjoy Secondary School girls who sneaked out of their school compound. They were, however, found after their case was highlighted by a national television.

Then followed burning down of Stephjoy Boys by students who, according to the school administration, were afraid of end-term examinations.

But it is the manner in which parents embraced and hugged their daughters who had disappeared that left tongues wagging. From that incident, it became apparent that parents could be abetting these immoral acts by failing to discipline their children.

In August this year, 36 students were arrested aboard a matatu destined for Nairobi from Nyahururu. The students are believed to have engaged in illicit behaviours, including sexual acts and smoking bhang.

 

Then most recently, more than 500 students were arrested at the weekend in an Eldoret club while intoxicated and some of them were engaging in sex.

These are just a few cases which have managed to make it to front pages. There are many more unreported incidents.

Indeed, this trend should worry parents, school managers and policy makers given that our future generation is dependent on how well we raise our children today.

Whenever students are cited for bad behaviour or criminal acts, parents always prefer to shift blame, yet the role of disciplining children squarely lies on them. Parents should do the disciplining as teachers do the teaching.