The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | As parents pray for their children who are in candidate classes to pass the examinations, they have been urged to beyond that, take particular responsibility to ensure the children do not get spoilt by social media and other influences during vacation.
Speaking Saturday at the blessing of primary 7 candidates of St Theresa Kisubi Girls Primary School, St Charles Lwanga – Gombe Pr. School and Yoana Maria Muzeeyi Primary School – Kayunga at Mother Mary Kiwamirembe Catholic Shrine, Rev Fr Charles Mpiima said Social media had become an inevitable part of life but so many negative things go on there, making it important for parents to guide and keep a keen eye on children.
“At our (children’s) age we cannot distinguish what can ruin us and what cannot. So, protect us from the internet,” Fr Mpiima, also chaplain of St Joseph Kisubi Technical Institute urged parents.
“The sites these young ones visit on the internet will remain on their brains for ever. Probably already some of them have tik-tok accounts. Observe and watch out what they say and what they record there. It will remain in their records for ever and when the child grows and is looking for a job in future, this will count.”
St Theresa Girls Primary School is fielding a total of one hundred and fifty candidates. The exams will taken on the 6th and 7th of November.
Addressing the children, Fr Mpiima said that at the screening for jobs in future, the employer may ask, “Are you on social media, what is your social media handle? Then they see you in a bikini dancing that weird dance. They will simply say, ah aha aha. This is not the right one”
If the parents decide to buy phones for the children, the priest said what the children put on their profiles and screen savers should be a matter of caution and responsibility.
“Parents, guard us, protect us, especially that we are ladies, a female gender that can be taken advantage of.”
“Protect us that we may write our papers and when they release them (exam results) we are in a state that can go to Senior One and not that Senior I Namwandu (widow). We need to celebrate our successes,” Fr Mpiima passionately appealed.
Jovial and yet solemn at the same time, the service was attended by the shrine rector Rev Fr Edward Kabanda and Fr Paul Ssekibaala, parish priest of Nakawuka Parish.
The deputy director of studies at St Theresa, Teacher Emmanuel Puluga advised parents not to deliver any more news to the candidates even if it is death of a parent, to avoid disruption of the candidates’ composure and preparation, which may affect their performance.
The candidates were later given an hour with their parents before riding back to school.
*****
URN
