Elders urge parents to uphold cultural values for discipline and holistic education

Elders in Msambweni, Kwale County, have called on parents to integrate cultural values into their children’s education to help instill discipline and build character.

Speaking during a cultural awareness dialogue organized by Msambweni Queens Community-Based Organization under the Kujenga Amani project, the elders said that education must go beyond academic and religious instruction to include moral and cultural grounding.

Mwanasha Mbete, a respected elder, said the abandonment of positive traditional practices has contributed to growing indiscipline, moral decay, and social disconnection among the youth.

“Parents are focusing too much on formal education and neglecting the cultural values that shaped our communities. We are not calling for harmful outdated practices. We are asking families to reintroduce the values that guided us in raising responsible citizens,” she said.

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Mbete said many children today lack respect for elders and authority figures because discipline and character development are no longer prioritized at home.

She said education should shape both the mind and the character but without cultural values children may be academically successful but morally lost.

Echoing her sentiments, fellow elder Bakari Sebe urged parents to take a more balanced approach by blending secular, religious, and cultural teachings.

He warned that academic excellence without a moral compass is dangerous, noting that cultural values once acted as the moral fabric that held society together.

Sebe also emphasized the importance of community involvement in child upbringing.

He said the responsibility of guiding children should not fall solely on parents but be shared among teachers, elders, religious leaders, and other stakeholders.

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“Let’s rebuild that collective support system where every adult takes part in shaping the next generation,” he said.

Msambweni Queens Executive Director Biasha Jasho said the dialogue was part of efforts to encourage behavior change and revive cultural pride that aligns with today’s realities.

“When communities reconnect with their positive cultural roots, we begin to see reduced cases of indiscipline, violence, and social disintegration,” she said.

She urged parents and institutions to work together in promoting values-based education that builds peace, respect, and social harmony.

BY SHABAN OMAR