Columns

The day that we complete our duties to our parents, children, our spouses and our relatives will mark the beginning of our peace and independence. Till such time there will be no real peace and independence even in our country. The Lord Buddha preached at great length about our duties and responsibilities. We also know the teachings of other religions. If duties are performed by people, whatever their caste or creed, the country will be genuinely free and independent.

Before the pre-school we have day care centres. Then we have schools run by religious denominations. After that we have government and approved schools. Before all these we only had the home upbringing. There was a proper training at home prior to becoming parents. This way parents brought up children in a manner they became useful citizens. In those days, most women did not work in the public or private sectors. With a change in living standards, women had to go to work and children lost the primary education they received at home. The knowledge and education that these young ones gained from their parents were not available to them from the care givers or helpers at home who worked for a wage. That is one of the main reasons why many children are going astray these days.

Government school teachers have duties and if these duties are properly performed, children need not attend tuition classes. Children get dressed around 5 or 6 in the morning, attend school, after that tuition classes and get back home at dusk. They don’t have a proper meal and basic cleanliness and their health is at risk. Most children also do not have enough play time or exercise which is important for childhood.

In some countries children are not given homework. Here more than what is taught in schools a load of homework is given to children. Those who are learning arithmetic must have the mental capacity to remember. Therefore memorising the multiplication tables is important.
Today not only children, even adults find it difficult to calculate fast the balance money that they should get when they go to a boutique. They now need a calculator. A society that is leading children astray has a bleak future.

There is also no freedom. Instead, we hear of so many cases of child abuse. In those days, women were mainly involved in teaching or nursing. In addition, they were recruited to divisions where the women’s affairs were taken care of. This was to create the mothers’ mentality in that sector. Women were recruited to the forces, police and the courts to look after the problems of women. Later we saw women in the forces and police carrying guns. Today we hear of instances where abuse take place with regard to women in the forces and police. We wonder why in a country where all the religions are practised, we do not have the freedom and the capability to preserve the status of women as mothers.

Abortion is taking a life. Who has been sentenced as punishment here so far? We say that our country is the noblest. At least now the authorities must think of setting up an authority to correct the wrong picture here. We need to help people to be self sufficient and the young generation to develop properly.

TB was a dreaded disease once but not anymore. TB patients were shut out from society then and were completely avoided. Today when we look at our society a similar situation can be seen. If we have parents who love their children the younger generation is safe. But we have to live with a majority of parents who are not that way inclined. We must unite together and build up a plan to get rid of this poisonous attitude and create a different society.

Those who are about to get married are in two minds as to how they are going to raise children. This way marriages are postponed and the birth of children delayed. Instead of talking about what is impossible we must think of how our parents raised us and take steps to preserve and develop the future generation. That is our duty. Those who are governing the country must think about this. They must think about their own families and how their parents raised seven or eight children and fed and protected them in good times and bad.

Children till they reach the age of fifteen or sixteen should be fed with what is suitable and not what they want. When children cry the parents give them whatever they ask for to get out of the problem. This results in ill health and children become insubordinate. Parents are responsible when children lose education, capability and growth in their development. If children do not listen to parents, if they act disobediently they will go astray and the country will suffer. We see today the growing generation going astray. We must talk about it and take steps to put this right. Otherwise our future generation will be ruined. We need to be aware of this and take necessary measures.

All of us need food and therefore we must help the poor farmer. We cannot buy good health from a shop. Some are even too lazy to maintain basic cleanliness. They are too lazy. How many of us have taken the trouble to look after our natural surroundings? We cannot do this on our own, like we cannot clap with one hand. We must know our duty and without being a debtor must strive to do something for the country and its development.

Time has come to take these steps one by one. We must strive to do our duty honestly and work for the development of the country. Many incapable people have sprung up. It’s time that capable and industrious people took over.