By Agnes Orang’o
Parents have been accused of over-pampering their children with the detrimental result of leaving a bad taste in the mouth of institutional leadership around the country.
This is the view held by the chairperson of Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), Mitaboni Sub-county chapter, Joseph Nzioka.
Cases of perpetual indiscipline among students have been fanned by rogue behaviour under the watch of parents, insists the Mitaboni Boys High School principal, who says parents ought to play their part in moulding their children.
He was airing his views when Education News visited him in his office, noting that parents play a primary role in shaping their children, much more than the school set up does.
“It all begins at home; how you bring up your kid determines their approach to life and who he will become. The modern parent spoils the child, and then hands them over to school expecting them to be better people in society,” he said.
According to him, parents have given their children too much freedom and some are absent from their lives, leaving their kids to their own devices as some become caretakers of their younger siblings.
Others are brought up by domestic workers, who instill their own values, which often are not positive. He encouraged parents to take their responsibilities seriously.
“As a parent, stamp your authority at home and don’t expect us to handle your kids when you can’t handle them. We are raising a sensitive generation that has access to the internet and technology and if we don’t do things right we might as well destroy their future by raising unmotivated individuals,” he cautioned.
He urged parents to take time out of their busy schedules and talk to their children, be involved in their lives and get to know them well.
This is to avoid being taken by surprise when their children take the wrong turns in life.
