Concerned by rising cases of substance abuse and school dropouts among boys, Augustineum High School, in collaboration with the organisation Vision Core, on Friday hosted a seminar aimed at empowering young men to make positive life choices.
Seminar Coordinator Aletta Eises-Thanises notes that boys are dropping out of school, and many are caught up in substance abuse.
Academically, she says, many boys slack off, urging parents and the broader community to refocus attention on the development of the boy-child.
"That we have a strategic direction, we have to get the boys back from what is happening so that the boys can stand up and have a voice, a sense and a presence. We have been saying for too long the future is female. So if I'm a mother and I have a boy child and I have a daughter at home and I'm preaching the future is female, what am I communicating to my son?"
She stressed the need to equally develop boys and girls towards positive contribution to their homes, schools, communities and the broader society.
"There are crimes, but mostly these crimes are coming from the boy child. How are we assisting the boy child? I think as a nation we have to start with thinking that we give education fit for the boy child, where the boy child features and the boy child knows that he has a destiny and a voice."
Eises-Thanises highlighted the fact that most academic graduation ceremonies, whether at UNAM, NUST, IUM or others, are dominated by female graduates.
"So boy child, for the first time, over the years after independence, this year there were ten boys top performing in the top performance of the AS level. For that we are thankful for the boys coming out, for the boys standing up for taking up their right place."
Award-winning local artist Jericho Gawanab, also known as 'JTwizz', narrated his history of substance abuse, which he stated landed him in hospital fighting for his life, ultimately resulting in a conscious decision to turn the other way.
"To do something with yourselves, please look at your environment and do better; do we agree? Do better; I need that support. Fast forward. Today I drink a lot of water. I don't do drugs anymore; I've decided to quit smoking cigarettes and everything else. On that same day when I came out of that hospital, today it has been 4 years, four productive years."
The seminar was held under the theme "To Be a Man".