19 Jun 2018

Government, through various departments, is working hard to develop sound programmes for the upbringing and protection of children, says Ms Ludo Mosojane. 

Officiating at Tonota commemoration of the Day of the African Child, Ms Mosojane, who was the guest speaker, said government needed powerful and committed partnerships with communities through parents, traditional and spiritual leadership to help build cohesive programmes for ensuring safe transition of youth to responsible adulthood. 

She said there were ugly social patterns in Botswana that might hinder the good intentions of government on “leaving no child behind for Africa’s development,” the theme of this year’s Day of the African Child. 

“The 21^st century is a period that has bombarded not only children with so many new exciting trials whose consequences are destruction. 

This means there are gaps that need to be closed by concerned individuals who care for Botswana’s social growth, and there is need for a comprehensive response towards educating society to handle these things,” she noted. 

Ms Mosojane said difficulties that may render Botswana’s children vulnerable included social forces such as cultural constraints, cohabitation, youthful parenting, blended families and high rates of divorce. 

She said although government provided free education, some communities for cultural reasons prevented their children from going to school. 

Ms Mosojane cited the culture of keeping sexual immorality a secret as a major challenge. She noted that guardians refused to acknowledge and report sexual offences thereby putting children at risk. 

She said children born out of cohabitation and those whose parents divorced were displaced when parties broke up and suffered emotionally and psychologically. 

Some of them turn to the streets in anger and violence which rendered them liabilities rather than builders of Africa, she said. 

She said there was a need to acknowledge the transition between old and emerging patterns which would help with formulation of strategies that would challenge parents to take more responsibility for their children. 

Acknowledgement of the shift in parenting patterns by all institutions dealing with family issues starting with the kgotla, the church and Village Development Committee (VDCs) was also vital, she said. 

Furthermore, Ms Mosojane called for the introduction of personal social development as a subject in schools to help children make good choices at an early stage. 

She encouraged parents to seek counselling for children as soon as they detected any waywardness that might be detrimental to their education. Ends