The Botswana Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner, Christopher Mbulawa has called on parents to take responsibility for the lives of their children.
Addressing students and parents at a prize giving ceremony at Emmanuel Adventist Academy in Molepolole recently, Mr Mbulawa said that it is a sad reality that some parents have left the responsibility of raising their children to teachers, government and television sets.
He however said that failure by parents to mould the growth of their children may result in some of these children getting involved in delinquent behaviour and crime.
The Botswana Police spokesperson also castigated parents who fail to protect their children from criminals in their homes. He said that the Botswana Police has been experiencing worrying levels of sexual crimes such as rape and defilement of children under the age 16.
He said that some of these cases happen in homes with perpetrators being people who are known to children and parents but the incidents still go unreported with parents preferring to solve them in their homes.
He stressed that such criminals deserve to face the wrath of the law and parents shouldn’t try to protect them.
In her remarks the Emmanuel Adventist Academy Principal, Mrs Happy Moji encouraged the pre and primary students to avoid negative peer pressure that may lead into self-destructive lives. She further said that one of the goals of the Christian faith inspired Emmanuel Adventist Academy is to mould the students into responsible citizens.