Pastor T Mwangi, founder of Life Church International Limuru, has raised concerns about the practice of sending young children to boarding schools, arguing that it undermines parental guidance and early childhood development.
Speaking on the Netwalking Podcast with content creator Jacquey Nyaminde, also known as Wilbroda, Mwangi, who also leads the Truth Mentorship Society, said children sent away at an early age often miss essential daily interactions with their parents, which he considers foundational to raising well-adjusted individuals.
“Boarding school iko na disadvantages zake kwa sababu you tend to be introduced to a very big crowd and you lose the counsel of your parents,” Mwangi said, reflecting on his own experience attending boarding school in Class 4 in Narok.
Growing vs. Being Raised
Mwangi distinguishes between a child merely “growing” in isolation and being actively nurtured by parents. He warned that extended separation can cause children to adopt values from peers rather than from their families, creating what he described as a “survival tactics” mindset that may replace lessons in character and discipline imparted at home.
“Time umepeleka mtoto akiwa class four boarding, huwa anakosa instruction za baba, anakosa sheria za mama… some children just grow, some children are raised,” he said.
Emotional Distance and Transactional Bonds
The cleric also noted that prolonged boarding school attendance can turn parent-child relationships transactional, with interactions limited to school fees or basic provisions, weakening emotional bonds. Children returning for holidays may find themselves almost strangers to their parents, he said.
Mwangi’s perspective is informed by his upbringing in Narok’s Majengo estate, where he was raised in a Catholic household, and by a diverse personal journey that included involvement in the hip-hop scene and exploration of African spiritualities and Rastafarianism. While he acknowledged the discipline instilled by his later years at St. Joseph’s Junior Seminary in Molo, he remains firm that primary school-aged children benefit most from remaining at home.
His comments contribute to an ongoing debate in Kenya about the trade-offs between structured boarding education and the developmental benefits of daily parental involvement during formative years.
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