Each and every child grows up being motivated to become a doctor, a pilot, an engineer, a radio presenter or any other respected professional.
They work hard to pass exams and make their dreams come true.
However, after joining secondary schools, life changes. Some are influenced to abuse drugs, others get bullied, and some end up disobeying their teachers and parents. They end up underperforming in the KCSE exam, derailing their progression to university and dream careers.
These and other factors have affected many students
in Lari, Kiambu county.
Psychologist counselor Monica Gichure says lack of or inadequate parental advice makes a child to be influenced quickly to engage in misguided activities of notorious groups in school.
She says children need to be equipped well with guidance from home, which should be boosted by teachers’ advice.
"Obedient children learn with ease since they are equipped with morals, obedience, respect and patience values. The values that make them become respectable in the society," she said.
Whenever something wrong happens, whether in day or in boarding school, they are the first to run away from those activities and are not easy to be incited to participate in illegal unrests," Gichure said.
She urged parents to support learning institutions and ask questions on their performance, so that they can know when to come in and support them to perform.
"At times some parents just take students to school, pay fees and assume teachers will do everything. It is important to know if there is an issue at school that a parent is needed to do to ensure smooth learning," the psychologist said.
Educationist Joyce Gitau said day secondary school parents should ensure their children get enough time to study as they help them in household chores.
Gitau, who is the proprietor of St Joe Academy, urged students in day schools to take advantage of learning while at home, saying they are equipped with social interactions.
"It’s always good to encourage the students in day schools that learning in the village equips them with interactions with different types of people. Some passed through day schools and passed exams," she said.
FIGHTING DRUG PEDDLERS
Issues of access to bhang and other hard drugs have been raised as a major cause for poor performance among students in both day and boarding
secondary schools countrywide.
Lari deputy county commissioner Aaron Koros said he is working closely with the Nyumba Kumi Initiative and Community Policing officials to arrest drug peddlers.
"These peddlers attract students since they know they have pocket money. But we are wiping them out soon. Some have changed their strategy by operating at night, but they won't go far. We won't allow being frustrated," he said.
Lari MP Jonah Mburu said the five-year strategic plan introduced for the subcounty proposes schools to hold prize-giving days, where teachers, students and parents will be motivated to ensure good performance is realised.
He said awarding teachers, students and some parents will encourage them to work extra hard.
The MP also said his office is planning to refurbish primary and secondary schools to change the mentality learners have.
"Some think students in private schools work hard, since they learn in beautiful classrooms and compounds. We are doing that to all our schools, God willing. We want to ensure we have academies in public schools," the MP said.
Mburu said the process has already started, urging parents and education stakeholders to support the strategic plan for the benefit of their children's performance in near future.