As a keen observer of current affairs, I find it extremely hard to ignore situations wherein human rights are violated and thrown out the window.
Over the past few months, I have noted with great concern the rising cases of school negligence when it comes to the health of the students. Remember the lady from Moi Girls, Kabarak, who was suffering from malaria and was “treated” with antibiotics? You do not realize how serious a situation like this is until it happens to someone you love. Things can go from zero to a hundred in a blink of an eye.
So, the other day, my baby cousin came home from boarding school; unwell. At first I did not realize exactly how serious the situation was, until I met her. And heard her side of the story.
I’m left with so many questions about the education systems and values that we uphold. At what point did it become so important to “study” that we ignore the student’s well-being? How did education go from being a system that molds you to become civilized and learned; from being the pillar of societal growth, to being a prison?
I fail to understand how a teacher can go to a class, notice that a student is unwell, and do nothing. Are our children safe in these schools?
Education is indeed very important for our children, but their welfare and state of good health and sound mind is much more important.
Our children are the future. We mold them to who they become by what we expose them to. And a clear violation of human rights is not the way to go.
It is extremely sad and heartbreaking to think that such cases go unresolved, parents are left in agony and nothing is done to make sure that there are no more similar cases. I wonder how hard it would be to put into action a law that compels school administrations to ensure that the good health of their students is the first priority. It would not take much.
If we can put humanity at the forefront of all our deeds, I doubt that there would be any cases of negligence or harassment of any kind.
Children’s rights are human rights too.
We need to remember that children lack the capacity and/or power to fight for their rights; hence this is a battle that we need to take up on their behalf. Fight for our children to be respected. Fight for them to be treated as people. Fight for their future.
Whatever is knocking on your neighbor’s door today could be knocking on your door tomorrow. Take a stand.
Make #MattersEducation a movement. Let it be heard that we are in this with our children; that we send them to school to learn, not to be punished. Our children are very important to us and we hope and expect that everyone involved in their upbringing knows and understands the same.
Humanity. Purpose. Integrity.