Moshupa, A Village Concerned
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday September 14, 2020 16:47
Now, the parents want old values to be restored in order to curb growing delinquency.
Elders who spoke to The Monitor argued that a child needed to be raised by both parents.
One such elder, Kabo Mookodi blamed the continued focus on the girl-child, which has seen less attention on the boy-child.
“For the longest time, our society has been trying to empower the girl-child, leaving out the boy-child who is expected to take care of, and protect the family.
If a boy-child is not raised well and not guided, that is where the problem starts.
Again, at times we have to find out the background of these children and establish whether they are from abusive families or not. It is only that at times these students take out their anger and frustration on different people, which is sad.
The community must join hands in raising children; uncles, grandparents and aunts must all play a role,” Mookodi said.
He argued that if a child was brought up in an abusive set-up, they were likely to follow suit. “Go diragetseng ka Setswana se se reng motsadi mongwe le mongwe ke motsadi wa gago.
Le gore ngwana mongwe le mongwe ke wa gago?” he quizzed, regarding longstanding Tswana tradition that children belonged to all parents including those not related by blood.
Mookodi said the other challenge was that the law gave children too much protection, which frustrated parents and teachers, when they wanted to instil discipline.
Another parent, Bonyananka Baleseng put the blame on the adoption of a lifestyle anchored on western culture.
Young parents are failing to teach their children basic things like how to handle themselves in front of elders, even to greet elderly people.
What these kids know is to ask questions and to sleep the whole day and when they wake up, they will not be ashamed even to ask you about food or ask money from you. What kind of behaviour is that? It is time parents stopped protecting their children and teach them about (our) culture,” Baleseng said.
She said teachers must be given powers to lash students and those who did not want to take corporal punishment should be sent home.
In addition, Baleseng said parents spoiled their children by giving them money, which they end up using to buy alcohol and drugs.
Peter Rampana, a former teacher at Moshupa Senior Secondary School, expressed shock at the recent incident where an educator was assaulted.
“Yes, there was bad behaviour amongst students back then, but not to an extent of assaulting a teacher.
Things are out of control and something should be done because children nowadays only respect their biological parents.
Bogologolo mogolo mongwe le mongwe ene ele motsadi wa ngwana lefa asa mo itse, not what we see today,” Rampana said, echoing Baleseng’s sentiments.