Student unrests: Parents urged to vet schools

The current wave of unrest in schools, which has resulted in the loss of students' lives, should serve as a stark wake-up call for parents to carefully assess institutions before enrolling their children.

The Deputy Imam of Park Road Mosque, Sheikh Ramadhan Mohamed Mwangi, said that while parents often prioritize academic performance when selecting schools, many educational institutions have become breeding grounds for social vices that undermine the moral character of students.

In his Friday sermon on June 5, Sheikh Mwangi said the moral decline among learners is increasingly being reflected in anti-social behaviour, which is becoming more common in schools across the country.

He cited the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, where 18 students lost their lives, as a vivid example of the extent to which some students have embraced harmful behaviour, even going to the extent of plotting acts that could cause serious harm to their schoolmates.

“It is a sad situation that many schools are becoming breeding grounds for social evils, the ramifications of which we are now witnessing in the form of dangerous dormitory fires and wanton destruction of school property during strikes,” he said.

A recent wave of student unrest and fire incidents in several institutions has led to the indefinite closure of more than 30 learning institutions disrupting learning across the country.

Addressing the congregation, the Deputy Imam regretted that many schools had abdicated their responsibility to nurture morally upright and responsible citizens, choosing instead to focus solely on academic performance.

“It is an open secret that acts of homosexuality and lesbianism are on the rise in many schools, while educational authorities are looking the other way and remain reluctant to confront the vice,” he said.

“Unfortunately, these are the environments where we are taking our children, and they come face to face with such vices. Parents need to be extra vigilant,” he added.

In his sermon, Sheikh Mwangi also blamed adults for failing to serve as positive role models for the youth. “Protests have become synonymous with looting, robbery and acts of violence. Unfortunately, young people are replicating this behaviour and causing mayhem in educational institutions,” he said.

Sheikh Ramadhan further appealed to Islamic integrated schools to consider making their fees more affordable. While acknowledging that such institutions provide religious education that promotes moral values in society, he noted that high fees had placed them beyond the reach of many ordinary families.