Tindiret Member of Parliament (MP) and Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Julius Melly, has raised concerns over the growing influence of social media on students, linking increased online exposure to recent cases of school protests and arson attacks across the country.
Speaking during a morning talk show on a local media station on Wednesday, June 3, Melly said the unregulated use of social media among learners is exposing them to harmful content that is increasingly being mirrored within school environments.
According to the legislator, students are consuming online content that promotes negative behavior and are becoming more influenced by events unfolding in the country.
“The unregulated use of social media among our students is making them consume negative content online,” Melly said.
He argued that learners are gaining greater access to information about national events, including demonstrations and protests, and are drawing parallels between those events and situations within their schools.
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“They are now getting more information about what is going on in the country and linking it to protests. In some cases, they are taking what they see online and implementing it in their schools,” he added.
Melly called for stronger regulation of social media content accessible to children, saying tighter controls could help reduce exposure to harmful material and curb incidents of unrest in learning institutions.
His remarks come amid a wave of student protests reported in several schools across the country, some of which have resulted in the destruction of school property through arson attacks.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred at Utumishi Girls Academy, where a deadly fire claimed the lives of 16 students.
Authorities have since intensified investigations into the incident, with nine girls suspected of masterminding the arson presented before a court as prosecutors sought 30 days to conclude investigations.
By Obegi Malack
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