19 Jun 2017

Parents, leaders and nations have been urged to introspect on the rights, responsibilities and aspirations of children.

That was said by the public health and epidemiology specialist with the National Food Technology and Research Centre, Dr Lemogang Kwape, who was the guest speaker at this year’s Day of the African Child commemoration in Kanye on Friday.

Dr Kwape said through the drop of blood, South African children, young as they were, laid a foundation for democracy in their country and beyond.

He stressed that it was therefore paramount for nations to commemorate the day and make the world a better place for every child.

He said the day was established in 1991 by African states in Ethiopia after South African children were massacred by the apartheid regime during their demonstrations against substandard education and the use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction in schools on June 16, 1976.

Dr Kwape, who is also Vision 2036 board member, said the theme: ‘Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030, was in line with the ideals of the national vision.’

He said the African continent, Botswana included, was desirous of every child to be raised in a safe and secure environment and enable to become the best they could be regardless of ethnicity or station in life.

He stressed that Vision 2036 desired to eradicate abject poverty amongst children.

He added that poverty inadvertently took away dignity from its victims.

He also encouraged African states to build disability friendly infrastructure especially in schools to accommodate learners with disabilities.

He, however, said if anything else failed, it was important for parents to punish children but in moderation.

He also informed children that rights came with responsibilities.

He also encouraged them to take their studies seriously.

BOCONGO executive director, Mr Botho Seboko informed parents that raising a child was an inherent responsibility from God.

Mr Seboko advised them to seek guidance from him to raise them well.

He said teachers had a great deal of work moulding children into future leaders, but stressed that it could become easier if parents also played their part.

He also told students who had attended that government has created an enabling environment for them to become just about anything they wanted to be in the world if they worked hard at it.

He said their responsibility was to zero in on their studies. BOPA