Parents must pay close attention to the welfare and development needs of their children in this period of societal degeneration.
This was the thrust of messages by professionals who spoke at the special Parents’ Forum of the Earnest Schools, Ayobo, Lagos, held on Sunday January 26, 2020.
The Forum addressed a number of issues bordering the Parents, welfare of students as well as other contemporary issues affecting youths in general.
Discussing the topic, 21st Century Parenting, the lead speaker, Mr. Kazeem Lawal, a Certified Project Manager and Business Analyst, said the Social Media had been grossly abused, hence parents should monitor what their children do on the various platforms.
He also challenged proprietors and parents to embrace the use of technology in teaching students at school and home to meet future challenges.
Mr. Lawal, who is the Head, Project Management Office, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, encouraged parents to invest in Islamic Investment options like Stanbic IBTCIslamic Compliance investment to secure the future of their children.
During a panel discussion on 21st Century Parenting, panelists shared experiences and offered advises on how best parents could take care of their wards to make them better individuals in the society.
An Educationist with the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Dr. Maryam Badmus advised parents against encouraging their children to involve in examination malpractices, premarital sex and other related social vices.
Dr Badmus, who teaches Biology at Ikeja Senior High School, equally advised students to concentrate more on their academics, morals and spiritual wellness.
In a similar being, the Internal Audit Manager, Nigeria Operations, Mohinani Group, Mr Abdulhakeem Salman emphasized the need for parents to be role models for their children.
This, according to him, is key as whatever the children pick from their parents would be replicated in the larger society.
Salman, an Associate Chartered Accountant, identified illicit dressing by the youths as one of those things that attract them to opposite sex, thereby leading to various vices that negatively affect academic performance of students at various academic institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer, Blessed Orchard Ventures, Alhaja Zulfah Adeleye, said Muslim parents should be identified with good morals, trustworthiness and other Islamic identities.
These, she said, would have far-reaching impact on the children in the long run.
In his remarks, the Proprietor of Earnest Schools, Mr Ismail Ogunyomi, sought the collaboration and support of parents in all outlined activities that will assist the school to achieve its laudable objectives for the students.
He said the name ‘Earnest’ means Seriousness with determination.