Impact of alcoholism on parental care of school children: A case of Miriga Mieru West Division in Meru county.

Abstract

This study is a research to find out the impact of alcoholism on the parental care of school going children in Miragamieru West division. This is because many parents have neglected their school going children thus raising the school dropout rate. Children going to school lack basic necessities like pens, books, fees and personal effects.

The number of idlers in the markets has increased in Mirigamieru West division. The rate of alcoholic drinks taking has also increased. The health of some of the parents who are heavily indulged into alcohol taking has deteriorated. Deaths of parents in unclear circumstance have occurred. Domestic violence and immoral practices like rape and violence in general has increased. The ageing parents are complaining that their daughters and sons are taking alcoholic drinks and thus neglecting their grandchildren who are in school. Women (members) at the church have complained of the many problems they face that are related to alcoholism of their spouses (husbands) and children especially sons. Alcoholism has been found to be a factor that has led to poor parental care to school going children where they are affected socially, emotionally and financially.

Data has been collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). From the data analysis, it has been found that some parents are heavily indulged into alcoholism and thus wasting a lot of family resources thus failing to cater for the school going children well.

It has been recommended that the Government should ensure that only the approved alcoholic drinks are sold to the parents in Mirigamieru West Davison for the illicit brews are killing them slowly thus raising the number of orphans. Government agents involved in the law enforcement should be serious in implementing jhe government alcoholic policy. The corrupt administrators should be sacked for they are encouraging the consumption of the illicit brews that are killing parents in the division at a high rate thus affecting the school going children.