By Comrade Yekini Lukmon, YKL
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Parental negligence is increasingly undermining children’s education, discipline and future, but the solution requires collective responsibility from families, schools, communities and government.
The home is a child’s first school, while parents are the first teachers. Long before a child enters the classroom, the home has already begun shaping his or her character, attitude, values and understanding of the world. Therefore, when the foundation laid at home is weak, the consequences do not end at the family door; they follow the child into the classroom and eventually spill into the wider society.
Sadly, many parents today appear to be failing in one of their most important responsibilities: raising responsible, disciplined and educated children. The consequences of this failure are becoming increasingly visible in our schools and communities.
One cannot help but ask: Have we, as a society, produced a generation of parents who are themselves struggling to understand the importance of proper child upbringing? It is a question that deserves serious reflection because schools and communities are increasingly bearing the consequences of parental indifference.
The attitudes and behaviours displayed by some children today are troubling. Teachers and community leaders are confronted with pupils who struggle with discipline, respect, concentration and basic social values. If urgent action is not taken, we may be sitting on a social keg of gunpowder.
As a teacher and coach, it can be deeply frustrating to watch children bear the consequences of circumstances created by adults. These children are only beginning their lives, yet many are already carrying burdens far beyond their years.
Across our communities, children who ought to be in classrooms are found hawking on streets and highways, engaging in menial jobs or performing other forms of labour to support themselves or their families. In some unfortunate cases, parents or guardians encourage children to engage in harmful or inappropriate activities simply because they need money to survive.
The result is poor school attendance, weak academic performance and, ultimately, school dropout.
This is particularly painful at a time when the Federal Government and state governments are investing resources in education, constructing and renovating schools, providing facilities and employing professional teachers. Yet, while governments and education stakeholders work to improve the learning environment, the number of children attending school regularly appears to be declining in some communities.
What then is the purpose of building schools with taxpayers’ money if children who should occupy those classrooms are instead pushed into child labour?
The problem goes beyond attendance. Many children also arrive at school without adequate home training. Some struggle with basic manners, respect for authority and acceptable social behaviour. Such pupils can become disruptive, making it difficult for teachers to maintain a productive learning environment for the entire class.
Teachers cannot, and should not, be expected to replace parents.
There are also children who come to school exhausted, stressed or sleep-deprived. Some spend their nights performing domestic or menial tasks for guardians who brought them from rural communities or other locations with promises of education and a better future. Instead of being given the opportunity to learn, they become cheap labour.
How can a child who has spent the night working possibly concentrate effectively in class the following morning?
Another major challenge is the lack of academic reinforcement at home. Many pupils struggle with foundational literacy and numeracy because nobody is available to assist them with homework, monitor their progress or encourage them to study.
Some parents leave home very early and return late at night, often when their children are already asleep. While economic realities must be acknowledged, the absence of parental supervision and academic support can have serious consequences for a child’s development.
The relationship between inadequate parental supervision and negative youth behaviour is also a matter of concern. Where children lack proper guidance, supervision and positive role models, they may become more vulnerable to cultism, drug and substance abuse, stealing and other harmful behaviours.
School dropout presents another danger. Children who leave school prematurely often face limited opportunities to acquire the skills and qualifications required for decent employment. This can reduce their earning potential and increase their vulnerability to poverty and social exclusion.
Perhaps even more disturbing is the possibility of a vicious cycle. Children raised without adequate parental guidance may grow into adults who struggle to provide proper guidance to their own children. In this way, poor parenting can reproduce itself from one generation to another.
However, blaming parents alone will not solve the problem.
Many parents are themselves trapped in difficult circumstances, including poverty, unemployment, family instability and the pressure of working multiple jobs to survive. Some lack the knowledge or support required to practise effective parenting. Others may be battling personal challenges that affect their ability to provide consistent supervision.
This is why the response must be collective.
Schools and communities need stronger mechanisms for identifying children whose attendance is irregular, those who frequently appear exhausted or distressed, and pupils who consistently come to school without having eaten. Such signs should not simply be treated as disciplinary problems. They may be symptoms of deeper challenges at home.
Teachers, school administrators, community leaders, parents and relevant government agencies must work together to identify vulnerable children early and provide appropriate support.
There is also an urgent need for structured parenting education programmes at the community level. Such programmes can teach parents practical lessons on child development, positive discipline, communication, stress management, educational support and responsible parenting.
Government and community organisations should also strengthen social support systems for vulnerable families. Where poverty is the root cause of a child’s absence from school or involvement in labour, addressing the family’s economic hardship can be more effective than simply punishing the parents.
The responsibility for raising a child cannot rest solely on the shoulders of the teacher. The school can teach, guide and inspire, but the home must provide the foundation upon which those lessons stand.
The future of our schools and society depends greatly on the quality of children we raise today. If we want disciplined classrooms, productive communities and responsible citizens tomorrow, we must return to the basics: responsible parenting, regular school attendance, proper home training, effective supervision and genuine partnership between parents and schools.
A child neglected at home does not remain a private family matter for long. Eventually, the school feels it. The community feels it. And society pays the price.
The time to rebuild the home-school partnership is now.
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