School Indiscipline in Kilifi Rattles Leaders; Parents Urged to Take Responsibility

By Julius Mwabonje

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Kilifi County leaders have challenged parents to take charge of their children and deal with them so as to address the increased cases of indiscipline within schools in the country.

This follows the recent unrest in schools with deaths reported of 16 children at Utawala girls high school after some students allegedly burnt a dormitory.

There have also been a series of attempts to burn dormitories in schools across the country that led to the institutions to suspend learning and give students a break.

Senate deputy minority leader Stewart Madzayo who is also the Kilifi senator said children were taken to school to study not to burn schools.

He called on parents to teach their children good morals and discipline to prevent such cases being witnessed in the learning institutions.

“Teach your children to have good behaviours they go to school, learn, succeed and go to another level of education until they reach University.”

His fellow Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi said she had nothing against boarding schools nor should they be abolished, but institutional managements should ensure dormitories have enough facilities to deal with fire.

Kilifi County education CECM Felkin Kaingu said the indiscipline cases in schools was worrying as students were burning schools some were dying terming it as unacceptable situation.

According to him discipline of children starts at home and urged parents to emphasize on discipline of their children while teachers take charge of their curriculum duties.

Brian Kirui, Langobaya assistant county commissioner (ACC) division, said the rising cases of insecurity caused by youth gangs commonly known as ‘mawoza’ were also as a result of indiscipline that requires parents to take charge.

He said some of the youth committed crimes in Malindi and escape to the remote areas of Langobaya adding that soon they would be nabbed as the security operation would be extended to those areas.

Recently, he said a 19-year-old youth was arrested after he committed a crime in the area and it emerged. He had escaped from Malindi.

Former Kaya Fungo Ward MCA Alphonce Mwayaa said there was a devil that had invaded schools and there was urgent need for parents to start engaging their children to end the problem.

He suggested that each parent take the responsibility of child-rearing apart from talking to them to reduce cases of indiscipline and criminal activities for their future.

“If your child is a criminal, it’s better you start taking action now or else you will suffer in the future,” he said.

The ex-MCA said what happened at Utawala Girls High School was sad as six girls closed a dormitory while fellow students were asleep and set it ablaze.