Mombasa Cleric Calls for Chaplains to Be Deployed in Day Schools to Curb Moral Decay among Students

• A Mombasa church leader has expressed the need for the government to make it mandatory for day schools to have chaplains
• The clergyman noted that while students in boarding schools benefit from the presence of chaplains, day schools have been neglected
• He said church leaders can help shape the character of learners and, in the end, address some of the challenges the country is facing with the young people

A church leader in Mombasa county has called on the Ministry of Education to ensure that every public primary and secondary school in the country has a chaplain.

According to Rev. Leonard Msalame of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Mombasa Diocese, religious teaching and church-led counselling in day schools can help instil good moral behaviour in leaders.

Do day schools in Kenya have chaplains?

Msalame noted that it is wrong for the government to insist only on boarding schools having chaplains, while leaving it optional for day schools.

Read also

Kipchumba Murkomen promises scholarships, housing jobs to bandits who surrender their firearms

“I’ve observed that in government schools, chaplains are only deployed in boarding institutions, leaving day schools neglected. We are urging the government to work with religious leaders to extend this service to day schools so children can grow up in a religious environment,” the clergyman said.

He spoke at Changamwe Girls' High School during a Christian Union day.

But even as he called for the deployment of chaplains in all public institutions, Msalame expressed the need for the ministry to collaborate with religious leaders and ensure that those assigned to the role are based on merit.

The church leader admitted that the country has in recent years witnessed growing moral decay among learners, which he said needs to be addressed with urgency.

“While parents do offer guidance, adding the church’s role in religious counselling can enhance efforts to shape our children's behaviour, even beyond school life,” he explained.

Under the current structure in boarding schools, chaplains provide pastoral care and support to students, staff, and the wider school community, focusing on their social, emotional, and spiritual well-being, regardless of faith or beliefs.

Read also

UDA MP backs plan to abolish free education, says it will make parents responsible

They also offer a safe and confidential space for students to discuss their concerns, and can facilitate group activities and programs related to well-being.

The head of the Christian Union at Changamwe Girls’ High School, Mercy Odhiambo, shared similar sentiments. She noted that chaplains are vital for nurturing students with religious values.

“Chaplains help children grow with a sense of spiritual direction,” Odhiambo said.

Can strict parents affect their children's behaviour?

Meanwhile, the ACK cleric appealed to parents across the country to build closer relationships with their children to encourage open communication. He warned that excessive strictness at home often drives children into silence, fear, and ultimately, harmful behaviours.

“As a parent, you should create a friendship with your child. Be open with them so that they feel safe enough to share their struggles. When this happens, you’ll also get to know their friends, and this builds accountability,” Msalame said.

Read also

Kenyan schools get new climate-smart garden model to tackle hunger, teach sustainability

He further noted that poor communication at home is a major contributor to immoral behaviour among youth and urged parents to be vigilant about their children's conduct and offer them emotional support.

Is it okay for couples to have one kid?

Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that a Kenyan TikToker asked parents with only one kid to add more.

According to the TikToker using the handle @Wambugu wa Kamau, it is wrong for a woman to have only one kid.

His advice was, however, met with resistance from some women who insisted that they had no plans of giving birth to more children.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke