Thika West Deputy Children's Officer Janet Muigai has asked parents to be more vigilant and take good care of their school-going-children as the teachers' strike continues.
Speaking in her Thika Town office on Friday, Muigai said that many parents in the area have not been looking after their children properly and are leaving them to loiter in the streets and villages unmanned.
She said that the children need to be guided properly now that their four-week August holiday has continued to extend because of the teachers' strike.
"You note that the children have had a lot of free time since the schools closed in early August. This is not a very good thing and that is why we are saying parents have to chip in and offer the necessary guidance,” said Muigai.
The children's officer said that parents should allocate the minors some duties and household chores to keep them engaged after which they should be allowed to do their private studies.
"All play and little work makes Jack a lazy boy. Parents should not be the ones to oversee this laziness take charge now that the kids have been away from their teachers for a while,” she said.