Drugs and substance abuse in schools have been cited as a major cause of indiscipline among students in Kabras West Sub-county.
It is for this reason that parents have been urged to be more vigilant in monitoring their children’s behaviour and movements while at home.
The Sub-county Director of Education for the newly constituted Kabras West Sub-county, Pauline Anupi, made the remarks while addressing the Friends Mugai Secondary School Annual General Meeting.
She called on parents to take their responsibilities seriously by ensuring that discipline is instilled at home so that it can be reflected at school.
Anupi said it was important for parents to set rules that children can follow and criticized the growing tendency of some parents to delegate matters concerning discipline entirely to teachers and school management.
“Let parents know that matters of discipline lie squarely with them and not teachers. The role of teachers is primarily to teach. Take time to teach your children to appreciate the good done to them because that is the first step towards discipline,” she said.
Concern over drugs and moral decline
She maintained that discipline begins at home and noted that the notion of giving children a “soft life” had contributed to declining behaviour among some learners.
The director observed that cases of drug and substance abuse in schools were becoming a growing concern, particularly among girls.
“I will be having a meeting with girls in the sub-county to discuss challenges affecting them and find lasting solutions, including issues of drugs and early pregnancies,” she said.
Anupi challenged parents to provide the basic needs of their children to prevent them from seeking assistance from strangers, which may expose them to risky lifestyles, early pregnancies, diseases, and drug abuse.
“Good morals are taught at home. It is not the sole mandate of teachers. Parents should stamp authority in their homes and closely follow their children’s education. Do not keep postponing parenting, neither can it be done through a proxy. What you invest in your child is more important than what you invest for them,” she said.
School performance and fee challenges
Anupi also commended the school management for helping 34 candidates qualify for university, noting that nurturing average learners to attain university entry should not be taken for granted.
The Education Secretary for Friends Church Schools under the Malava Yearly Meeting (MYM), Margaret Kataka, said sponsors were working on strategies to improve the academic performance of the 34 schools under their management.
At the same time, she noted that learning in many schools continues to be disrupted as students are frequently sent home over unpaid school fees.
Call for timely fee payment
Speaking at the AGM, Friends School Mugai Principal Anne Masheti said the institution was struggling financially, with fee arrears standing at KSh 6 million as of the second term of 2026.
She urged parents to take their children’s education seriously, noting that it would determine their future.
Masheti applauded both the county and national governments for providing bursaries to learners across the constituency.
“We are grateful for the support through bursaries, which has cushioned many parents. However, parents still have an obligation to clear the remaining balances to enable learning to continue,” she said.
Parents Association Chairman Titus Soita echoed the sentiments, saying the school would be stricter on fee payment to reduce debt and ensure smooth operations.
Learners urged to embrace discipline
Speaking at another AGM forum, Friends Tande Secondary School Principal Dan Masitsa reiterated that it was the responsibility of parents to instil discipline in their children.
He urged parents to stamp authority at home and ensure discipline remains central in their children’s lives.
The chief guest, Pamela Mukabana, a former teacher and aspiring Kakamega County Woman Representative in 2027, cautioned students against engaging in indiscipline, including acts of arson.
Referring to the recent school fire tragedies, she described such actions as criminal and warned that those responsible would face the law.
“We have seen the education of boys declining every year, yet little attention is being given to the problem. I plan to initiate a support programme for boys once elected so that issues affecting their performance can be addressed,” she said.
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Mukabana reminded learners that discipline remains important not only in school but also in colleges, universities, and the workplace.
By Wakhungu Andanje
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