18 Mar 2019

Kgosi Shadreck Mphala of Maitengwe has raised a concern about the way children are raised in the community.

He said he had been observant of the way children from a very young age to teenage level conduct themselves around their parents, teachers, towards other children and even strangers.

In an interview with BOPA, he said that children should be disciplined. He said he was ready to do his duties by helping to discipline children where its due.

He wished parents and churches to join hands in building a better future for community and country at large.

He further noted that the chain of command in raising a responsible child should begin at home, going through to teachers and churches. “Without joining hands we can never expect children to exhibit good behaviour,” he said.

He observed that some parents covered for their children when in the wrong, a situation he said affected a child future endevours. Mr Mphala also raised a concern about how parents conduct themselves around children, saying some sexually and physically abused children.

He said later in life parents expect the very same child they taught disrespect to respect them.

Furthermore, he noted that there were some parents who did not teach children Botho and would even entertain it when their children displayed bad behaviour to elders, even to their teachers or to other children. In addition, he pointed out that some parents resorted to violence when their children were disciplined at school and ended up fighting with teachers on behalf of their children.

He decried that some parents took children out of school for free labour. He appealed to the community at large to join hands to help raise responsible children by disciplining them and reporting bad behaviour at the kgotla. ENDS