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Magoha blames parents for drug. alcohol abuse


Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has hit out at parents over what he termed as ‘poor bringing’ of children in society.

Magoha attributed poor parenting skills to the increased cases of substance and alcohol abuse among learners.

He spoke at the launch of National Guidelines for Alcohol and Substance Use Prevention and Management in Basic Education Institutions on Friday, June 9.

Magoha reiterated that despite efforts by the Ministry of Education to eradicate drug abuse in schools, parents also have a role to play in safeguarding their children.

“A child will do what they see their parents doing not what they say. Parents must own up to the fact that they are responsible for what is happening to the children,” Magoha remarked.

The Principal Secretary for Interior Affairs Karanja Kibicho who was also in attendance gave assurance that his Ministry’ was fully committed towards attaining a drug-free environment in learning institutions.

“The work has just started and it is up to us to make sure these guidelines have been implemented effectively,”

“My Ministry conducts regular compliance checks to ensure that there are no alcohol selling joints anywhere near basic learning institutions for minors aged below 18 years,” he emphasized.

The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) came up with National Guidelines which outline measures for curbing alcohol and substance abuse in schools countrywide.

The PS remarks came barely two years after a survey conducted by NACADA divulged that 20.2 percent of learners had experimented with at least one drug in their lifetime.

The research aimed to examine the extent of substance abuse among primary learners.

What is more, according to the study conducted in 2019, adults play a major role in influencing drug abuse among school children.

Majority of the pupils interviewed disclosed that they get drugs from kiosks, shops, bars near their schools as well as from school workers.