When you as an individual becomes a parent your priority shift’s onto your child’s wellbeing. Every single milestone your child crosses becomes a state of celebration and happiness for you. A milestone we most definitely wait to see is our children walk into their first class. A number of parents tear up at that moment.
I remember my first day at school, crying on my 3rd birthday to join school all I wanted was a pink bag pack and a cute uniform. At only three years that’s all, I believed school was.
My parents happily obliged my request, and on the same day of my birthday, my dad drove and enrolled me in a school near our place. I remember him smoking his cigarette and listening to his favorite reggae playlist. My birthday would not be complete without a picture of me and Dad together at the gate of my first-ever school.
When a parent takes their kids to school the safety of the child is always a matter of major concern. This leads to the question of how safe are our children at school.
The Joy Gardens School where a grade 8 student died mysteriously in the Nairobi Umoja area was one event that raised the question of safety in schools. The case led to the arrest of five accused with two among them being the school’s directors.
This incident occurred two months ago, with new information on the release of the five accused being made known yesterday to the public.
This case is not the first of its kind when it comes to children being in harm’s way in the place we entrust their wellbeing to. Last year a similar case happened with a student at Maseno school losing their life due to a fall from a dormitory.
With our kid’s safety not being guaranteed by institutions that we pay, for the sole purpose of education and safety a need for parents to take matters into their own hands is needed.
Keeping your child close to you as a friend and communicating on their day-to-day experiences is fundamentally important. This helps in ensuring you know what your child is facing when not in the care of your hands.
Keeping constant communication with your child. This applies to children in boarding schools. You as a parent should be in close communication with their teachers to enable you to check up and speak to your child.
As a parent, the bigger share of responsibility falls under you, a child can be raised by society but when society fails it’s up to you to step up.
