Keep children busy, safe in the two weeks they will be at home – Business Daily
Schools are closing this week in preparation for the general elections which will be held next week on Tuesday.
The students will be at home for about two weeks during which the polls will be hopefully concluded to allow for schools to reopen.
Parents and guardians should keep the children safe and engage them in productive activies during the time they will be at home.
In this period of elections, we should ensure that they do not participate in any form of violence. We need, therefore, to monitor and guide the children to refrain from actions that may cause them harm or compromise peace and tranquility in the country.
Engaging the students in productive activies does not mean putting them through child labour. They should never be overburdened with domestic chores or farm work. Yes, they should do some work at home, but they shouldn’t shoulder more tasks than they can handle.
Parents and guardians should also protect their children from vices such as drugs and substance abuse. It may be a short holiday of two weeks but it is potentially destructive to children if they they do not get proper guidance and are exposed to bad behaviours.
Students, especially those sitting for national exams this year, need to use their time at home wisely. They need to focus on studies and doing their assigments. The candidates have little time left before they do the exams in November and two weeks is enough time to boost their grades.
I believe teachers have given them enough assignments that will keep them busy and reduce the chances of engaging in any form of vices.
Aggrey Karani, Rongo University a communication and Journalism student
