DESTRUCTIVE Completing students take wrong turn

Underage girls and boys drink till they drop

Completing students are now in the habit of engaging in debauchery immediately after completing their examinations.

The wild parties are deemed ‘pens down’ and it is at these gatherings that underage girls and boys drink till they drop. This past weekend was one of those weekends when students snuck out of their parents’ homes and went out dressed in skimpy clothing to party their lives away. Form 3 students sat for their final year paper on Friday and by late afternoon, many were spotted by this publication in shopping malls. It would later be revealed by one concerned parent that she needed to rush home and check if her 16 year-old son was home because a little birdie had informed her that there was a planned get away excursion organised by the young ones. “He came to me saying their teacher had asked that they contribute P300 for a little farewell at school and trusting that he was telling the truth, I trusted him and gave it to him. “He tricked me, I have heard that they are intending to go braai meat and drink alcohol at some venue, he fooled me,” the concerned mom said. She said the money that was allegedly raised ran into thousands meaning that most parents were fooled into thinking that they are doing something good for their children after working hard in school, while in actual fact parents funded a night of recklessness. A night where most young girls and boys would lose their virginity and girls likely to be left pregnant. A night where some will taste alcohol and take drugs for the first time, black out and in the worst case scenarios, get taken advantage of by adults.

Member of the national Parents Teachers Association (PTA) Keaboka Modise squarely puts the blame on parents. He says parents are not doing enough to speak to their children.

“Parents are popping out huge sums of money, even P1 000, without even going to school to ask where such huge amounts are going.

“It is sad because 95 percent of students have parents who are highly educated, the parents were raised by illiterate parents who ensured they get the best education and behave well, why are we allowing today’s generation to decay?” he asked. Member of the national PTA representing Central Region, Edward Moganana says they are aware that students get up to no good in the name of ‘Pens down.’ Moganana said what happened in the past was that there would be silly fights that happened after students completed their exams and grudges were settled. “But we never took it to the extremes of having to party and sleep out because we feared and respected our parents,” he said.

Adding that even the silly fights that happened, were done far away from the school premises because they knew that teachers would not allow such nonsense to happen under their watch, it was students being naughty but they knew that there were consequences for such behaviour. He advised parents to take responsibility and always ensure that they check with schools whenever children say they have been asked to contribute money. He said this is a new trick that students use to get money for alcohol and drugs. Moganana complained that he is noticing that some teachers are not doing enough to bring students to order that is why lFaowodletsesa-m, ness continues to rise in schools. pointed to one incident where a etensaucrhe

looked the other way when children were misbehaving and asked• tFheeadtbahcketo (Mogagana) was called instead. “I understand that students are stubbsoyrsntembuatnd we need to work together. I do confirm that some parents are relaxed• aLniadisinngowtith doing enough but let us all pull in the

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same direction so that we bring• cShupilpdortetnhe in line. “We all know that chi•ldProevnideartreaining well behaved when at home butecffihciaencgiees at school, this is where we need teachers to be firm and do their part,•” Wheorksinagidw.

Moganana also pointed a finger at the Ministry of Education, sayingGtehneegrauliAdd-ministrator ance and counselling departm• ePrnotvsidianrgemonthly not doing enough. “These children need the department to always be t•aMlkoinnitgoritnog them. In the past, there were sessions where we would be allowed to• cCoarmry eretgoular school and speak to children especially completing students but that no longer happens and we have no idea why. “We as parents are not relaxed, we •arIentwermorekdi-ate ing hard and will never put all the work on teachers. We work with the• pEoxpliecrientcoe put child molesters in jail in an effort to protect our children,” Moganabneast seaffiicda.cy Spokesperson of Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOCOSMEPTETUE)N,CIES Oreeditse Nyatso noted that they have heard of painful instances •wMhueltirtaesbkiyng children booze after finishing•eAxbailmity sto.

“A number of parents and• sEtxucdelelenttsCommunication are complaining of ‘Pens dow•nA’davcanticvedi-Organization ties, we plead with parents aCnlodsinmgeDmate-: bers of the community to mould our children. “It is not true that teachers arrange farewell parties that see students taking money from parents, it is only in few instances where class teachers have a 30 minute session with students to say their goodbyes in school and advising them to go out and be responsible, not where they arrange night parties for them,” he said. Southern Region Education Operations Director, Acro Maseko said the Ministry of Education is aware that completing students plan pool parties after finishing exams. “They go to places with wall boundaries and a pool, smoke hubbly and drink. The presence of social media worsens everything, the students are out of control and what we realise is that parents are not keeping a close eye on their children.

“They allow their children to do as they please, when they get home they get into their rooms and parents do not check on them,” he said. He added that some children have access to money because of different circumstances. Some are orphans and therefore have money coming in through the courts or they get some allowances every month. When responding to Moganana’s complaints regarding the guidance and counselling department in schools, Maseko said they have actually strengthened the guidance and counselling departments by bringing in more personnel. “We allow all inside the school to speak to children, we always have members of the Ministers’ Fraternal and any other person who comes to us with intentions of speaking to children, we accept them. “At school we want children to be kept busy because idle time creates room for indiscipline,” Maseko said.