Masindi parents challenged on responsible parenting, early mentorship

Masindi: Bishop Charles Bagonza, the  General Overseer of the Pentecostal Churches of Uganda and Senior Pastor of Kabarwana Pentecostal Church, has challenged parents in Masindi to embrace responsible parenting and early mentorship to raise responsible citizens.

According to Bishop Bagonza, many children become irresponsible at a tender age due to a lack of proper parental guidance.

He noted that many parents have abdicated their role to teachers, who often lack adequate time to attend to all learners.

“When a child fails to understand that education is a valuable inheritance that must be cherished and fought for, and instead resorts to fighting for their father’s assets, just know there’s a big problem. Many children are threatening to kill their parents due to property disputes. All this is brought about by a lack of proper mentorship,” Bagonza stated on Tuesday during a one-day conference attended by over 500 learners from various secondary and primary schools in Masindi Municipality.

The conference which was held under the Theme: Education with a purpose: Shaping a focused disciplined and God fearing generation also saw the attendance of senior women teachers and some parents.

Bagonza advised that children need to be guided to avoid negative peer influence and destructive social circles that can derail their future.

“Children need to build positive characters, moral values, and spiritual awareness for lifelong success. They need to understand why they are in school. Many have dropped out due to minor reasons, but this is because many parents fear talking to their children,” he said, expressing disappointment when parents fail to pay school fees or have to be coerced into doing so.

Bagonza explained that the conference, which featured guest speakers including notable religious leaders from Norway, aimed to intentionally inspire and guide young people to develop a strong focus and commitment toward their education.

“Our main target was primary seven candidates, senior one, and senior five students because they are in transition and need to be prepared to understand why they are in school,” he added.

Juliet Amanyire, a senior woman teacher from Jordan Pride Secondary School, commended the Pentecostal Churches of Uganda for consistently organizing such a relevant conference, stating it would help shape the future of many young children.

“Most parents are no longer playing their roles, especially regarding responsible parenting. They are no longer providing the required necessities or proper guidance. Many children are brought up in unsafe environments, leading them astray. Such conferences complement what we, as senior women teachers, are doing,” said Amanyire.

Heidi Midling, Principal of a Bible School in Norway, emphasized the paramount importance of investing in platforms that shape the bright future of children.

“Such platforms provide knowledge, information, and an understanding of what real life is. Young children need to know how to overcome challenges when they confront them,” she advised.

Many children who spoke to this publication shared their struggles in accessing various health services, citing that they are often hindered by stigma and unwelcoming health personnel, teachers , guardians and some parents which they claim violates their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).

Some students recounted troubling experiences with parents, relatives, and even some teachers, stating they are sometimes sexually abused and have no clear recourse.

Students emphasized the lack of awareness about SRHR, urging health workers and stakeholders to regularly visit schools to educate them.

“Our parents don’t provide this information, yet it’s essential. We struggle to understand our rights and access necessary services,” one student stated.

Against this backdrop, Bishop Bagonza challenged the students to always break the silence in cases of sexual abuse.

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