Parents urged to regulate children’s movement in evenings
By Ambrose Wanagoli
Butaleja: The inspector of schools for West Butaleja, Dorothy Nahirya, has urged the parents to regulate their children’s movements in trading centres, stating that it’s One of the causes of defilement and early marriages, highly pronounced in her area of administration.
Addressing the parents in a general meeting at Hiriga primary school this afternoon, Nahirya, reported that a lot of children today, linger in various trading centres up to late, pretending to be selling tomatoes, Kabalagala(cakes), eggs and silver fish. She wondered the time at which such tired children revise their notes.
The inspector, narrated that she’s received numerous reports of early marriages resulting from such careless movements. A case in point, a pupil of Nahagulu primary school(Busaba sub county), in P.5, allegedly married off his classmate last week, with full consent of their parents, and cohabitated for days in the parents’ boy’s quarter when soup befell them.
Nahirya(schools’ inspector), disclosed that it angered the education officers to the extent that they called forth the police to arrest the parents of the minors who had diluted marriage. She, however, regretted that the parents of the couple, fled to unknown destination; but she vowed to discipline them soon as they return.
Cyrus Were, the Parish priest of Lwamboga church of Uganda, in the same meeting, fowled the parents who often move in company of their children for commerce, or send the children for the purchase of items late evening. Rev. Were, also urged the parents to support feeding program in schools, emphasizing that it boosts the learners’ concentration in class.
The man of God, stated that education without sacrifice carries little fruits. He explained that in Busia district where he originates, it is compulsory for some charges in the UPE/USE schools.
Rose Namuyanda, who represented Michael Higenyi Bore, the LCV, urged the parents to have positive jealously, by competing with each other in a bid to score good results for their children academically.
She also encouraged the teachers and parents to join hands to offer career guidance to the learners, and suggested that the mediocres enroll for skilling, than seek early marriages.
Moses Lamu Mungholo, the school’s head teacher, pleaded with the parents to always endeavor to visit their children to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses academically. Mungholo, also promised to effect meetings with the parents to forge a better score academically.
