Assistant Minister for Education Iliesa Vanawalu has called on families to take a leading role in teaching children proper manners and behaviour.
Mr Vanawalu said a child’s education started at home, not in schools or religious institutions.
“Children don’t just appear from nowhere; they come from families. It is within the family that children must learn how to behave in public,” he said.
While the Government and the church have been criticised for not doing enough in shaping children’s character, he said parents were the primary influence on their children’s development.
“The foundation of a child’s education begins at home.”
He said children who were taught well at home were better prepared for life.
“Proper guidance at home equips children with the tools they need to succeed.”
He says the responsibility for a child’s behaviour lies with the family and the community, not the Government.
“The Government did not give birth to these children; it is the parents who must take responsibility.”
