AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE importance that slogans play in the life of any nation is obvious, but the major problem lies in some people not living up to the principles spinning around the messages that the slogans seek to convey.
Some of the slogans spin around the important roles that the youth are supposed to play in nation building endeavours.
This stems mainly from the fact that, being young, the youth are, by and large, relatively more physically fit and mentally sound than their elderly compatriots.
It is obvious that, no matter how mentally sharp and physically vibrant they may have been during the early phase of their lives, they become less so upon sliding into the senior citizenship phase in their lives’ journeys.
The whole concept of retirement fits into that scenario – that, after attaining the retirement age, and thereby being less vibrant, individuals step aside and create room for the younger, more vibrant younger generation members to fill the gap as more resourceful nation builders.
Yet, in order for the youth, to whom we assign the characterisation “future nation builders”, to discharge that role effectively, they have to be groomed effectively.
Besides grooming within family circles, the youth have to be given an appropriate dose of academic and associated grooming.
This is done in schools, the most important component of the education system. Successive Tanzanian governments have endeavoured to groom its young citizens into subsequently becoming resourceful nation builders.
Among other accomplishments, the current fifth phase government under the stewardness of President John Pombe Magufuli, has won accolades, has laid much emphasis on the education sector, which is by and large State-funded.
There’s thus no justifiable pretext for any parents or guardians to block children under their charge to enroll in schools.
But society is not short of individuals who are prisoners of negative tendencies, such as fathers who consider marrying off their daughters in return for dowry.
And so are parents who would rather their children become odd job operatives in urban centres and send them money periodically, than pursue academic careers as catalysts for national development.
To that end, we salute the Kilolo District Commissioner in Iringa Region, Ms Asia Abdallah, for her recent declaration that adults who block the academic ambitions of children under their charge will be dealt with sternly.
