Parents have been urged to closely monitor their children during school holidays to protect them from teenage pregnancies, school dropouts and other social problems.
The appeal comes amid concerns over the high number of teenage pregnancies in Murang’a, where 1,481 cases were recorded between January and June 2026, following 3,019 cases reported in 2025.
Security officials warned that school holidays, particularly in April and December, require heightened parental supervision to protect children from situations that could jeopardise their education and future prospects.
County Commissioner Hassan Bule called on parents to take greater responsibility for their children’s whereabouts, urging them to provide guidance and remain alert to their activities throughout the holiday period.
“Let us invest more in education. Some of the children have returned home, and we will be with them for two and a half months,” he said, urging parents to remain vigilant.
Bule challenged parents to account for their children’s movements, particularly in the evening. He warned that some young people stayed out without their parents knowing where they were or what they were doing.
He observed that teenage pregnancies during school holidays often led to girls dropping out of school, undermining efforts to keep them in education.
“As parents, let us ask ourselves: Can you account for your child? Do you know where your children are? The April and December school holidays are periods when underage girls become pregnant, leading to school dropouts,” he said.
The county’s reproductive health coordinator Caroline Macharia, has previously raised concerns over pregnancies involving girls as young as 10. In 2025, 29 cases were recorded among girls aged between 10 and 14.
Murang’a South, Kandara, Gatanga and Ithanga were among the areas that reported high numbers of teenage pregnancies. Murang’a South alone recorded approximately 600 cases in 2025, according to county health data.
Macharia warned that early pregnancies exposed girls to serious health complications, particularly when they delayed antenatal care. She added that the pregnancies disrupted their education and increased their vulnerability to social and economic difficulties.
Bule urged parents to act whenever their children stayed out late, stressing that protecting minors was a shared responsibility involving families, security agencies and community leaders.
“If you see my child in a bad situation, please contact me as a parent. If you see a schoolgirl loitering at night, report the matter to the chief or village elder,” he said.
County Commander Kimaiyo Kemboi echoed the concerns, urging parents to know their children’s whereabouts, particularly in the evening.
He observed that some young people of school-going age could be found loitering in towns in the evening while their parents remained at home, unaware of their activities.
Kemboi said parents should question children who returned home late or whose movements raised concerns. He added that responsible parenting and timely guidance could help young people make better decisions.
“Good parenting will help children succeed in the future. Let parents spend time with their children, offer them guidance and advice and, if they find it difficult to handle certain issues, seek help from someone with the expertise to counsel the child,” he said.
The county commander also urged young people to avoid alcohol abuse and called on religious institutions to play a greater role in shaping their morals and character.
“We want the church to play a greater role in building the morals and character of our children,” he said, adding that security agencies would sustain the crackdown on illicit alcohol.
Kemboi said protecting children and creating a safer society required accountability at all levels of leadership, including among police commanders, chiefs, deputy county commissioners and intelligence officers.
He called for stronger collaboration between security agencies, parents and community leaders to address the risks facing young people and ensure they remained safe during school holidays.
