Pens down parties destroy youth

Hundreds of teenagers gathered in Quigney on Saturday afternoon and partied until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hundreds of teenagers gathered in Quigney on Saturday afternoon and partied until the early hours of Sunday morning.

The so-called “pens down” parties that take place every year at the end of the school year after matriculants have finished writing their final exams are not only ridiculous, but also insane.

These ridiculous parties must be strongly condemned using all available means. Students host these shady parties in public recreational parks, where alcohol flows like the Nile.

These mischievous kids engage in mischievous behavior after being heavily intoxicated with various alcoholic beverages and drugs. They are unconcerned about the consequences. The result will be unplanned pregnancies.

All unprintable vulgar language is written on school uniforms. Instead of passing them on to those who cannot afford them, books, pencils, and pens are burned to ashes.

What happened to the principle of “izandla ziyagezana”? Future expectations, uncertainty, and important decision-making challenges confront the youth. This is a critical period in their lives because it will either make or break them.

This is a generation of teenagers being raised by parents who appear befuddled and unsure how to control them because they have far too many rights. Most parents make the mistake of believing that good parenting entails providing their children with necessities such as food, shelter, education, and other necessities. Parenting is more than just these necessities.

My million-dollar question is, who is funding these events? Who sells alcohol to these adolescents? Do we want another tragedy like the Enyobeni tavern tragedy, which killed 21 teenagers? Such tragedies can be avoided if parents play a role in discouraging their children from attending such parties.

Parents must set a good example by putting their foot down. It is critical to set a good example so that children will look to their parents for guidance, inspiration, and motivation.