President Ruto Issues Fresh Directive on School Discipline.
President William Ruto has called on parents to take a more active role in raising their children, emphasizing that schools are mandated to provide education but cannot replace the responsibility of families in instilling discipline, values and character.
The President made the remarks during the 60th anniversary celebrations of Burieruri High School in Meru County on Sunday, where he addressed the recent incidents of unrest in schools and underscored the importance of collective responsibility in nurturing disciplined and responsible citizens.
President Ruto stated that while schools continue to pursue academic excellence, education must extend beyond academic performance to include character formation, discipline and values.
“Discipline does wonders. Talent is common, discipline is rare. Our country does not merely need educated people; it needs disciplined ones,” President Ruto said.
The President warned that investments in education infrastructure and academic achievement would be undermined if discipline and moral values were neglected.
“A nation may build magnificent schools, but if it neglects character, it builds its future on quicksand. Knowledge may sharpen minds, but discipline governs its youth. Talent without discipline is wasted, and freedom without discipline descends into discord,” he said.
President Ruto further expressed concern over the recent wave of school unrest, including incidents of arson that have disrupted learning and, in some cases, resulted in the loss of lives.
“In the recent weeks, our nation has watched with deep concern incidents of unrest in some of our schools, causing anxiety among parents, distress among teachers and concern across the country. These events remind us that education is not about passing exams but also forming character, resolving differences peacefully and understanding that every action carries consequences,” the President stated.
He urged learners to exercise responsibility in their decision-making, noting that individual choices determine future outcomes.
Addressing parents, President Ruto appealed for renewed involvement in the upbringing of their children, stating that educational institutions cannot assume the role of parenting.
“To parents, I make a sincere appeal: a school can educate a child, but it cannot raise one. Be present in your children’s lives, know their friends, understand their struggles and walk beside them through every milestone and every season,” he said.
The President also called for the restoration of traditional African parenting values, where child upbringing was regarded as a shared responsibility within the community.
“Let us recover the wisdom of African parenting where no child belonged to one household alone but to the whole community, where every elder was a guardian and every child a shared responsibility. That wisdom has never ceased to matter; indeed, we need it more than ever,” President Ruto added.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki echoed the President’s remarks and urged learners to resolve grievances through dialogue rather than engaging in acts of indiscipline.
“Education without values gives you knowledge without wisdom. We want to ask our young people whenever there are grievances, let them be solved because we want to listen to you, understand you, encourage you and support you. But it is improper to use whatever concerns there may be to involve yourselves in acts of indiscipline because that will not only destroy your future but also others,” Deputy President Kindiki said.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the Government is developing a long-term strategy to address recurring school unrest through a multi-sectoral approach involving key education stakeholders.
“We have agreed that we are going to form a multi-stakeholder team to discuss the issues affecting our students in schools. We want parents, teachers, the Ministry of Education, the religious sector and school sponsors to come together and ensure we get a solution to this perennial problem affecting our children,” Cabinet Secretary Ogamba said.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that the proposed multi-stakeholder team will examine the underlying causes of school unrest and develop recommendations for sustainable interventions, noting that discipline remains fundamental in preparing future leaders.
The proposed team will comprise representatives from the following stakeholder groups:
- Parents
- Teachers
- Ministry of Education
- Religious sector
- School sponsors
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The team will be mandated to:
- Examine the root causes of recurring school unrest.
- Engage stakeholders on challenges affecting learners.
- Develop long-term interventions to address indiscipline in schools.
- Recommend sustainable measures to strengthen discipline and character formation among learners.
The President, Deputy President and the Cabinet Secretary emphasized that restoring discipline within learning institutions requires coordinated efforts by parents, educators, religious institutions, school sponsors and the Government. The leaders maintained that Kenya’s education system should produce learners who are not only academically successful but also disciplined, responsible and guided by strong values.
President Ruto Issues Fresh Directive on School Discipline.
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