OPINION
The 2023 Police Annual Crime Report revealed that a total of 13,144 juveniles were defiled last year, of whom 383 were defiled by persons living with HIV/AIDs. Out of the total victims, 12, 818 were females while 326 were males. 97 of these were defiled by parents, 90 by guardians and 211 were defiled by their teachers.
Many schools across the country are closing for the first term holiday, which will end in late May. Holidays expose alot of parental weaknesses because many aren’t used to staying with children for a long time. Besides, many students especially at secondary school and university are exposed to certain lifestyles and growth patterns likely to influence their behavioral change.
Holidays too, make children victims of criminal acts such as corporal punishments, defilement, child sacrifice, sex abuse and other child rights abuses. So it is most likely that parents and guardians have to look out for them more than ever before as they discover new traits and habits as well as protecting them from anything that may endanger their lives.
As learners break up for holidays, it’s our obligation as elders to keep them safe. Schools have played their roles to safeguard them at school. We appreciate their efforts.
As you move around during holidays, you find the ones in charge of children grumbling that they are facing it rough with them, “I wish the school could take you on for holiday studies, When will the holiday end so that you get back to school”.
Imagine failing to take care of one/two children when a teacher manages 100s moreover from different backgrounds / characters! This is a reason I treasure teachers despite their meagre pay.
It’s unfortunate that at times some learners report back from holidays with injuries either by corporal punishments or uncontrolled movements. It should be noted that children are not safe with some of the people they interact with be it the ones we call relatives or friends.
It’s hard to predict who is caring or bad hearted.
It’s like we are too busy to follow up our children but the consequences might be more costly if not irreversible.
Your child is your life. There is nothing that can compensate for a spoilt or lost child.
As a holiday is time for learners to relax their minds, bear it in mind that some time must be spared for some academic work either embarking on holiday packages (for those who have) or doing some revision. Guide our children to do some domestic chores & train them to do non academic work like agriculture.
Instilling a sense of good discipline into children is another task. Let them learn to respect elders. He who does not respect elders shall never be respected by his juniors’
In a nutshell, as King Solomon said to believers in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it,” Parents are duty bound to develop the children spiritually by praying and attending worshipping centers. Show the child a way will never get out of it when they are old. Stay blessed for successful holidays.
By Jerome Twebaze, The author is a Ugandan educationist, retired primary teacher and Managing Director St. Jerome Primary School, Mitooma.
