THE burden of raising children is increasingly falling on grandparents, as parents neglect their responsibilities.
This failure is tied to the rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, says Opposition Member of Parliament Premila Kumar.
“Children are being born and then sent to villages or settlements. Grandparents raise them while parents are off living their own lives. This cannot continue.
“Parents must take responsibility for the children they bring into the world. If they raise their children with values and principles, these children will be on the right path.”
Mrs Kumar was responding to Health Ministry data that showed more than 460 teenagers became pregnant in the first six months of this year.
“The numbers released are concerning, but they tell a story beyond just statistics.”
She said the figures should be a wake-up call not only to families but also to the Government and relevant stakeholders.
“One key problem we face is that people are taking freedom too loosely. There’s a growing sense that anything goes, breaking into homes, drug use, and the troubling trend of bluetoothing.”
She said under the influence of social media, young people were being drawn to risky lifestyles.
“They want what they see online, a different life, but many end up in trouble because they lack proper guidance. In this, parents and families must step up.”
She said blaming the Government alone was unfair, as families and communities also had a role to play.
