Be intentional about values, discipline too

The 2024 National Learning and Assessment Report by Uwezo which was launched in Kampala this week highlighted a number issues influencing and affecting the education sector. Among the issues highlighted was the importance of nurturing values and life skills as part of children’s early learning.

According to the report, stealing is the most common form of indiscipline that required disciplinary measures in schools at 48 percent, followed by escaping from school at 44.7 percent, fighting/violence at 41 percent, telling lies at 26.3 percent and dishonesty at 17.9 percent.

At the launch, Ms Mary Goretti Nakabugo the executive director Uwezo Uganda said schools and homes should not focus only on literacy and numeracy but also good values among children.

“We shouldn’t just try to teach literacy and numeracy because literacy without values and some fundamental skills may not be of much use in the long term.”

Ms Nakabugo is right because, which parent or guardian would be proud of a child who scores a first grade in Mathematics but steals, is violent or dishonest? A good education is one that facilitates a holistic development not only academically. Character development and values are key faucets of education. The question though is, who is responsible for ensuring that these are dealt with. Schools or parents?

This brings to fore the age old problem of parents relegating the raising of their children to teachers. While schools do have a mandate to train well-rounded learners by promoting, like Ms Nakabugo, says both values and numeracy and literacy, parents and guardians must be intentional about being part of this process too not only by being providers of financial needs in form of school fees and requirements but by being fully present and participating in regulated and lawful disciplining of children. The schools lockdown occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic showed how much parents had neglected their role on parenting leaving it to schools. And how schools were actually a safe haven that shields learners away from all sort of mischief and misfortune birthed by indiscipline and absent parents.

So yes, a percentage of our children can read, count and write but who’s making sure they are molded into disciplined upstanding members of society with notable values to speak of?

The Bible in Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will depart from it. 

Schools, parent/ guardians and all stakeholders must arm themselves with the right, legal and effective disciplinary measures and then be diligent about using them to shape children.