As schools across the country close for a long holiday, parents have been urged to keep a close eye on their children against indecorous behaviour and online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Fr. Vincent Alicho, a priest of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church that runs St. Anthony Claret Nursery and Primary School in Shanzu, says discipline is the cornerstone of a successful life.
“We know it is a very long holiday, and children will be home for a very long time. We have taught them what to do at home. Their lives here in school continue at home, and the discipline and moral values we inculcate continue at home,” said Fr. Alicho.
The Catholic-run school, with a population of 450 learners, leverages technology to interact with and monitor the progress of their learners on holiday through their parents.
“We don’t expect them to misbehave at home; we want children to maintain the values, morals, and discipline they have obtained at school to continue at home. It is very appalling to see children go home and begin to smoke, causing confusion in society,” added Fr. Alicho.
Fr. Alicho, a Nigerian missionary, hailed the country’s competency-based curriculum (CBC) for revolutionising education by nurturing learners’ talents at a young age.
Through CBC, the school now has an array of talents; the learners can operate band instruments like the trombone, cymbals, trumpet, tuba, snare, and bus drums.
“We are embracing CBC; we don’t just present the academic work to the children; we also mix it with other things like playing a band,” he said, adding that life is not just about classwork; they strive to give more to learners.
The school, through the church, prides itself on churning out well-disciplined learners as they transition to secondary schools through holistic training.
Fr. Alicho says the country needs children who have been moulded in all spheres of life. “We know the danger facing children when they are not well brought up; we can see exactly what it will mean to society. Children will be on drugs, smoking, and engaging in armed robbery. We want to stop that in our school,” he said.
The School Head Teacher Sister Susan Warui, underscored the importance of spiritual nourishment in children’s development. She advises parents to monitor their children’s online activities during the holiday.
“Keep close monitoring every day, especially with social media, which has really interfered with the growth of these children. Make sure you’re monitoring and you’re sure of what they are watching on social media.” Sister Warui advised.
On his part, Priest Kizito Mapera said the school works closely with the surrounding community in environmental conservation programmes.
“We interlink with the community very well, not only in academic activities. We introduce our learners to living in an ecosystem that is clean. The learners are encouraged to clean their environment,” he said, adding that CBC will make learners on par with others globally.
Holiness Jumaa, a class eight candidate, says it took her a few months to learn how to play a drum in the school band. She encouraged students to develop an interest in extracurricular activities while at school.
By Sadik Hassan
