Parents from Mavoko Sub-County have been urged to closely monitor their children during the August school holiday to ensure they do not join the wrong company.
Mavoko director of education Joseph Kiema said several children from the region join the wrong company during school holidays thus develop bad traits which they consequently carry to their respective schools when they re-open.
"Parents should be careful with their children during this August school holiday. They need to closely monitor them to ensure they do not get 'spoilt' by their peers," said Kiema.
Addressing journalists in Athi River Town on Wednesday, Kiema said disciplined children in Mavoko get their morals corrupted by their peers if not well monitored by their parents.
He said the parents should create time for the children and inquire who they spend their leisure time with as a way of avoiding bad company.
Kiema said parents should take the call seriously given that the region is cosmopolitan with lots of activities going on among children.
He said some children go to cyber cafes to play computer games, some join their friends from all over the region as others fall on the hands of bad companies thus being lured into engaging in criminal activities like drug and substance abuse and child labor.
The director said a number of children in Athi River Town had in the past been apprehended either abusing hard drugs or trading in stolen metals during school holidays.
“Such bad behaviour acquired by innocent and disciplined children from bad company at times end up getting to schools leading to crisis and disasters such as arson,” said Kiema.
He said the parents should keep the children busy at home with adequate home work and light household chores which will help them grow to responsible adults.