Hill School Raises Alarm Over Drugs, Social Media and Politics as Grade 6, 9 Candidates Prepare for Exams
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By Wasike Elvis
Hill School has raised concern over the growing challenges facing learners, warning that drug abuse, uncontrolled access to social media, inappropriate online content and political activities around schools could undermine the education and future of Kenyan children.
The concerns were raised during a prayer service held for the school's teachers and Grade 6 and Grade 9 candidates as they prepare for their national examinations.
Speaking during the event, Hill School Principal Naftali Mibei said the prayer service was intended to seek God's guidance, protection and blessings for the candidates and their teachers as they enter an important stage of their academic journey.
Mibei thanked the church, parents and teachers for supporting the school and its learners, saying the institution's academic progress was closely linked to teamwork, discipline and faith.
He said teachers had worked tirelessly to prepare the candidates and expressed confidence that the learners would perform well in the forthcoming examinations.
“Our teachers did a great job,” Mibei said, noting that the school was optimistic that many of its candidates would secure opportunities in leading national schools after completing their current level of education.
He also praised the school's teachers for their commitment and kindness towards learners, saying their role extends beyond classroom instruction.
According to Mibei, teachers play an important role in shaping the character and future of children and must therefore be supported as they carry out their responsibilities.
He urged teachers to remain committed to their work and continue observing the regulations and standards set by the Ministry of Education.
Call for peace during electioneering
With Kenya's political environment becoming increasingly active, Mibei also appealed to politicians to keep political campaigns away from schools and learning environments.
He said teachers and candidates need a peaceful atmosphere as they prepare for examinations and warned that political activities around schools could interfere with learning.
“We want the politics of peace, the politics of tolerance,” Mibei said.
He urged politicians to stay away from schools and avoid conducting political campaigns within or around learning institutions.
Mibei said teachers should be allowed to concentrate on preparing candidates without being drawn into political activities.
He further called for politicians to campaign away from schools and other places where their activities could disrupt teachers and learners.
The principal's remarks come as schools across the country continue to prepare candidates for national examinations, with teachers under pressure to complete the syllabus, revise with learners and ensure candidates are psychologically prepared.
Drug abuse threat
Mibei also sounded the alarm over drug and substance abuse, describing it as one of the challenges that could negatively affect learners and teachers.
He called on the Government, parents, teachers and the wider community to intensify efforts to prevent young people from accessing drugs.
He urged those involved in the distribution and sale of drugs to stop activities that expose children and young people to substance abuse.
The issue was strongly echoed by Hill School Board of Management Deputy Chairperson Mrs Antonin Inyangala, who said the school takes the safety and wellbeing of its learners seriously.
Inyangala said the school works as a team involving the board, teachers, parents and learners to ensure that challenges affecting students are identified and addressed early.
She said the diversity of families represented at the school requires the administration and board to remain vigilant and responsive to issues affecting children.
“We speak one language. That's why our learners are able to excel,” Inyangala said, emphasizing the importance of cohesion and cooperation among stakeholders.
She said the school's preparation for the examinations was at its maximum because of the strong relationship between teachers, parents and learners.
Inyangala said the school has also remained vigilant against drugs and other behaviours that could interfere with learners' education.
She warned that drug abuse was a national problem that was destroying the lives and potential of many young people.
According to her, some young people are introduced to drugs at an early age and carry the habit into secondary school and eventually university.
She called on parents, politicians and wealthy business people to take responsibility for protecting young people from drug abuse.
Inyangala particularly challenged individuals who profit from the illegal drug trade to reconsider the consequences of their activities on the country's future.
“If you love this nation, change your business for the betterment of the future generation,” she said.
She argued that Kenya's young population is one of the country's greatest assets and that allowing drugs to destroy their lives could have serious consequences for the nation's future.
Mental health concerns
The board official also called for a change in the way Kenyans approach mental health and counselling.
She said counselling should not only be considered necessary for people who are visibly struggling or facing severe mental health challenges.
Instead, she encouraged individuals and families experiencing stressful situations to seek professional help before problems escalate.
Inyangala said young people sometimes turn to drugs because they are looking for ways to cope with social, family or emotional challenges.
She therefore urged parents to create supportive environments where children can talk openly about the difficulties they are experiencing.
She also warned parents against exposing children to family conflicts, particularly when marriages experience difficulties.
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According to Inyangala, separation, conflict or other problems between parents can have a significant impact on children if the situation is not handled carefully.
She urged parents experiencing marital difficulties to seek counselling and ensure that their personal challenges do not negatively affect their children.
“Parents, if you are going through difficult marriages, kindly seek help from the counsellor,” she said, emphasizing the importance of protecting children's mental and emotional wellbeing.
Parents urged to take control of children's phone use
Another major concern raised during the event was the increasing use of smartphones and social media among children.
Inyangala said parents have played a significant role in exposing children to digital devices from a very young age.
She noted that some parents give children phones whenever they cry or become restless, unintentionally making the devices an important part of their daily lives.
She warned that children who become accustomed to using smartphones without supervision may eventually access information and material that is unsuitable for their age.
Inyangala acknowledged that technology has become an important part of modern education and that learning materials are increasingly available through digital platforms.
However, she urged parents to ensure that children use devices primarily for appropriate educational purposes and that their online activities are supervised.
She said parents should not simply hand over phones to children and assume they are using them for schoolwork.
“Parents, guardians, kindly keep away phones from the children,” she said, while acknowledging that there are circumstances where learners need digital devices for academic purposes.
She advised parents to guide children whenever they are required to use digital platforms for learning.
Lessons from phone-free school policies
Inyangala cited the experience of some schools that have adopted strict policies limiting students' access to mobile phones.
She praised institutions such as Friends School Kamsinga and Kakamega High School for policies that discourage parents from giving students personal phones while they are still in school.
She said such approaches can help learners remain focused on their studies and reduce distractions associated with social media.
According to Inyangala, parents can still provide access to phones when learners need them for specific academic assignments, after which the devices can be taken away.
She argued that such measures can help children develop discipline and maintain concentration.
AI and critical thinking
Inyangala also raised concerns about the increasing dependence of learners on artificial intelligence and other digital tools to complete academic assignments.
She specifically mentioned ChatGPT and warned that excessive reliance on artificial intelligence could prevent students from developing independent thinking and problem-solving skills.
She said learners should not grow up believing that every question can simply be answered by reaching for a phone.
Her concern, she explained, is that students may achieve good academic grades without necessarily developing the practical skills required to succeed outside school.
She gave the example of a university graduate who could achieve strong academic results but struggle to perform effectively in the workplace because they had become overly dependent on digital tools.
The board official said education should not only be about obtaining answers but also about developing the ability to reason, analyse problems and make independent decisions.
She warned that if learners become dependent on technology from primary school through university, the country could eventually have graduates with impressive academic qualifications but inadequate practical and critical-thinking skills.
Warning over inappropriate online content
Inyangala further warned that unrestricted access to smartphones and the internet was exposing children to inappropriate material, including pornography.
She said children are encountering adult content at increasingly young ages, with some learners in primary school already familiar with material that should be inaccessible to them.
She urged parents to take responsibility for monitoring what their children watch, read and interact with online.
She said parents should not assume that children are using phones exclusively for educational purposes.
According to Inyangala, unrestricted internet access can expose children to content that can negatively affect their morals, behaviour and understanding of relationships.
She called for parents to combine technological awareness with proper parenting and moral guidance.
Parents urged to raise responsible children
Inyangala said parents have a central role in shaping the character of future generations.
She urged families to begin teaching children responsible behaviour from an early age rather than waiting until they encounter serious challenges during adolescence.
She referred to the Biblical teaching on raising children, emphasizing that values taught during childhood can influence a person's behaviour later in life.
She said parents, teachers and communities must work together to ensure children grow up in safe and supportive environments.
The board official described Kenya as a country with a strong and intellectually capable population but warned that emerging social challenges could undermine that potential.
She said the country must protect its young people from drugs, harmful online content and other influences that could weaken their ability to contribute positively to society.
School-community partnership
The concerns raised by the school leadership highlighted the importance of cooperation between schools, families, religious institutions, government agencies and the wider community.
Mibei thanked parents and teachers for their support and called for continued cooperation as the candidates approach their examinations.
He said the school would continue preparing the candidates academically while also ensuring that their spiritual and emotional needs are addressed.
The prayer service provided an opportunity for the school community to reflect on the challenges facing learners while seeking divine intervention for the candidates and teachers.
Mibei said the school was optimistic about the candidates' prospects and encouraged them to remain focused as they prepare for the examinations.
He also called for peace across the country, saying a stable environment is essential for learning and national development.
A call to protect Kenya's next generation
The school leaders' message ultimately centred on the need to protect children from challenges that could compromise their education and future.
They called on parents to become more involved in their children's lives, teachers to continue providing guidance and politicians to respect learning spaces.
They also urged the Government and other stakeholders to strengthen measures against drug abuse and protect children from harmful online content.
As Grade 6 and Grade 9 candidates continue with their preparations, Hill School leadership says academic success must be accompanied by discipline, good values, critical thinking, mental wellbeing and a peaceful learning environment.
For the school, the prayer service was therefore not only about seeking success in examinations but also about reminding the wider community of its responsibility to safeguard the future of Kenya's children.
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