Corruption: Parents urged to promote integrity, other right values among children

As part of efforts to stem the tide of corruption in society, parents and guardians have been urged to instil in their wards and children right values that will help them shun graft such as integrity and empathy.

The advice was handed down on Thursday when a non-governmental organisation, Step-Up Nigeria launched a Parent Anti-Corruption Champion Initiative (PACCI) with the charge on parents to exhibit the right values.

The event which was aimed at educating parents on their roles in raising the next generation of leaders who will act with integrity had parents, pupils and representatives of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC) in attendance.

Speaking at the launch, the executive director of the NGO, Onyinye Ough emphasized the need to equip children with anti-corruption values, adding that when children are brought up in a culture of empathy, it makes them avoid what will hurt others.

She said that parents should also establish a reward system for good behaviours in the home.

She said: “There is nothing wrong in having a reward system for your children when they do good, like taking them to the cinemas, to their favourite places for lunch and all that. But the key thing is that children are brought up in a way that makes them know that good actions get good rewards. So they can grow up with that mindset that it really pays to do something good. We must teach them the right things, and inculcate anti-corruption values in them.

“Parents also need to create empathy in children. We need to have empathy if we are going to end the fight against corruption. You need to cultivate a culture of fairness at home, a culture of empathy. They should have empathy on issues that affect others.”

On her part, the representative of the ICPC, Mrs Mary Omonoyan, encouraged parents to show acts of integrity to their children in order to have them exhibit such value wherever they find themselves.

“We need to inculcate the right ethics in children so they can grow with it. Ethics of integrity, ethics of telling the truth. We need to work together in the fight against corruption. The fight against corruption cannot be done by the government alone. We need the support of NGOs like Step-Up Nigeria who we partner. We go to schools, we have anti-corruption clubs, we read stories to the children, or either show them short films or discuss things, so the children at that age know that they are not too young to end corruption. We also emphasize integrity to them,” she said.

A parent, during the launch, Mrs Henry Patience commended Step-Up Nigeria for the initiative, noting that parents need to take up the responsibility to give virtue to their children.

She said, “There is hope for Nigeria if we start putting the right pegs in the right holes. And that starts with every one of us. The wholesome responsibility lies with us the parents. Agreed, you are very busy but please, we can’t be too busy to give our children the virtues of life.

“My son will be writing junior WAEC; I have told him exam malpractice is out of it. If your teacher tells you anything to influence you to do anything, if you come back, let me know, because I will take it up with them. It is yours to read and write your exams yourself. It is their duty to teach you adequately. So as parents we need to get things right. We need to look at the outer good of the nation, and that is why I like this initiative.”

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