Parents should play their role effectively

SCHOOLS will soon be re-opening in a rather new style for most of us especially parents and teachers. Everybody is filled with joy, and our lips sing it in loud tunes. We shall soon open wide our hands to embrace the long awaited 9-year basic education structures. The new style gives us reasons to welcome the New Year packed with great new resolutions and all that it takes to fulfill them. However, despite the excitement, there is no guarantee that by the end this year, students would have attained quality education. Who would take the blame if such a thing happens? Is it MINEDUC itself, the teachers, the students or the parents? I think everybody would have a share since ensuring quality education is a collective effort. First of all, the ministry does its best provide classrooms, teachers, books and other facilities needed for education. Teachers are trained through seminars to keep them abreast with the new trends in education. Children are encouraged to go to school and enroll without paying anything, thus minimizing the cost of education. Despite these good undertakings, the education of our children continues to deteriorate. Today, parents seem to be less concerned about the education of their children.For education to fully succeed, parents need to fully engage themselves to a greater extent. They can do a lot to influence students’ attitudes towards learning. Ideal parents are those who come readily and promptly to school when they are needed, and parents who make a follow up with the school about the performance of their children. Parents’ involvement can do a lot to raise the quality of education in the manner we fancy it to be. Parent-teacher dialogue can help bridge a huge gap between both of them. It helps the parent in many ways; discussing why your child didn’t do his assignments, why he did not pass the exam, why he did not do a special test he missed when he was absent, and often times he did not care to participate in class, and why when he was in school he was physically present but mentally absent. It is true that parents’ positive attitude can help a lot to raise the quality of education. They should not even appear to be scary or intimidating to teachers once they got to the school for a visit, if they ever will. They should not seem to find every fault with the teacher as to why their children don’t learn or why their child suddenly transforms from a sweet little boy to a bully. Parents must realize the importance taking time to earn the confidence and trust of teachers. It is very importance for them to reach out and build a trusting relationship with the teacher. It is only by cultivating a sense of partnership that we can contribute to raise the quality of education. The new structures built need to see more parents checking on their children, and they are not only meant for the school. They are meant for the parent as well. By the way, surprises seem to be working out for most people. Just like a surprise birthday party has a major impact, the same was a parent can chose to surprise the school when they eventually decide to pay them a visit. The author is a teacher at Kagarama secondary school shebs10@yahoo.com