It is the responsibility of local communities to ensure the security of their school going children and to protect school’s property, Westlands Member of Parliament Tim Wanyonyi has said.
The security of every school going child starts with members of the local community, he argued.
According to the legislator, cases of theft of school property including books, can be contained if only the local community takes an initiative to kick-out bad elements amidst it.
“Parents will do their part, teachers will do their part and the society and community will do their part as well,” he urged.
“We challenge people who live near this school to take it as theirs…even if you are not being seen, make sure that you protect something that is serving a lot of people,” he added.
He was responding to a concern raised by a pupil of St Joseph Primary and Junior Secondary School on Friday during a thanksgiving ceremony, Mr Wanyonyi said the answer to theft of school books from schools and pupils lies in the resolve of parents and locals.
He gave an example of St Martins School in Kibagare slums where parents and locals have united to offer security for both institution and pupils explaining that no cases of theft have been reported at the school.
The school’s deputy president Augustine Malusu had decried the deplorable state of security around the school who revealed that some of their stolen books are always found on the streets being sold by vendors.
Malusu also asked the MP to put in place measures to help upgrade the road network around the school as he complained of its bad state that affects the learners especially during rainy seasons.
Also responding to one of the pupils who spoke during the event, Elsie, the MP promised to mobilise for resources to buy a bus for the school to help in transport services for the learners.
“I will take up that challenge…because she asked on behalf of the school, I will start fundraising until we deliver a bus to this school,” he promised.