Editorial: The Indiscipline Of Students Is Getting Out Of Hand
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Wednesday 28 March 2018 | 09:48
Shore Buses driver Rakesh Lal shows the damaged seats in one of their buses in Lami on March 27, 2018 . Photo: Ronald Kumar.
Ratu Kadavulevu School students who were disciplined by their principal were caught painting graffiti on school premises.
When they were caught by the wife of the principal and asked to stop, they swore at her.
During the NNN Zone, students tore off seats in a bus and threw it over the Rewa Bridge.
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Yesterday, the Shore Buses Limited showed us how their buses have been vandalised and how primary school students threatened and stoned buses.
This is the reality of what is happening with our students today.
In the 1990s it would have been unheard of that RKS students verbally abused the wife of their principal.
It would have been unheard of that students tore out seats in buses.
We cannot say that because corporal punishment is illegal now, students are taking advantage of it.
We have to question our roles as parents.
Where are we failing and what examples are we setting for our children?
What is different now compared to 20 years ago? Exposure to the internet?
Rowdy students ripped out four bus seats, threw them out of the bus, broke the front and rear windscreens and dam¬aged lights in two consecutive nights of unprecedented vandalism on buses.
Does stopping corporal punishment in schools have anything to do with this? Nothing.
It is the lack of care and respect for properties and the fact that our students think they can get away with this is the problem.
What leaders of tomorrow do we have among us?
Now we have primary school students involved in stoning incidents.
Who should be taking responsibility for their behaviour?
Not the teachers, not the bus drivers and not the Police officers.
Parents need to step up. the behaviour of students is a reflection of what they learn at home.
We cannot turn a blind eye to such cases.
Even the head of Government, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, has raised concerns about the indiscipline of our students.
If the head of our Government can see that we have a problem, where are the parents, and what is their role in disciplining their children?
What would happen should bus companies refuse to allow our students on board?
Can they be blamed?
No! They only want to protect their property.
Parents need to play a bigger role.
We cannot just pass the buck. The buck stops with us.
JYOTI PRATIBHA
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj
