Hela students, church youths mark World Children’s Day

A GROUP of Hela tertiary students and Pureni youths from the Evangelical church of Papua New Guinea conducting awareness in the province met with Tari Kristen Komuniti Service (TKKS) and celebrated the World Children’s Day together last Saturday.
The groups are carrying out awareness on tribal warfare in the lead up to next year’s general elections; other areas covered in the awareness are education, services, sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls.
TKKS head Ps Danny Mark said negligence and carelessness of parents to properly and responsibly care for and teach their children had seen many youths involved in illegal activities.
He said many parents were not taking responsibility for the upbringing of children and allowing them to be led astray by negative influences in society.
Ps Mark said these negative activities included joining their peer groups smoking marijuana, drinking homebrew and committing petty crimes.
Team leader David Hapokaia said parents had a great responsibility to nurture the next generation of educated elites, starting with disciplining them and sending them to school.