Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, on Thursday, December 30 supported a move to conduct mandatory drug tests on high school students.
Magoha made these sentiments while referring to a drug test directive by Maranda high school alerting parents that their students will have to go through a compulsory drug test and come with the certificate to school on 3rd January 2021 when schools open.
According to Magoha, there had been many cases of unruly behavior in schools and that such a move was ideal so that all students are monitored closely. He also stated that the exercise should be encouraged since most students nowadays misuse drugs.
“A drug test is thoroughly in order because children are using drugs. Are you doubting it?” He posed.
The education cabinet secretary further blamed the many indiscipline cases on parents. He argued that most parents have not only been pampering their children but majority also stay away from the lives of the young ones.
As a result, George Magoha urged parents to equally contribute towards the growth of their boys and girls as opposed to replacing attention with money.
“Children do not need money, they need your time. You must allow your child to go through life,” he remarked.
In the meantime, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha two days ago issued directions to school heads regarding unruly students.
Speaking in Mombasa on Monday, December 27, Magoha asked teachers to ensure notorious students are kept off school premises.
“The renegade children who want to go home to rest, we shall allow them. If there is a child who doesn’t want to go to school and wants to go and rest with his parents, to take exams from home, let him go, rather than destroy the infrastructure,because its very ridiculous for a child because you want everyone to suffer therefore you burn the school and everyone suffers we are going to be extremely vigilant,” CS Magoha said.
Magoha was in Mombasa for a breaking ground ceremony for the construction of two classrooms at the Mombasa secondary school for the physically handicapped as well as inspection of the construction of a new state-of-the-art Mama Ngina Girls National secondary school in Shanzu, Nyali sub county.
He further said that the ministry had disbursed funds to schools for the third term and no student should be sent home because of school fees.
