The role of parental involvement in schools

Abstract

Parental involvement at school level is important because a greater deal of education reform revolves around the collective input of all parties concerned, and is passive or active participation in school activities. Parents and teachers should recognise their complementary importance in the educational life of learners. Parental involvement may be run from passive to active participation in school activities. It is also perceived to have a bigger impact on improved learner performance and achievement, as well as on the intellectual, social and emotional development of learners. Consequently the family will have to take up a new responsibility and have a greater say in the informal and formal education of a child. The parent community includes parents of pupils at the school as well as the parents of former pupils and future parents. It is also the responsibility of parents to ensure that their school-going children attend school regularly. The recognition which is given to common and diverse religious and cultural ways of life and to the languages of the inhabitants of the country gives the school community – particularly the parent-organisation – the right to closely determined options with regard to religion and culture within the educational system extended for the main national population group concerned. Parents are also given the option with regard to attending activities of their children. To ensure that their children’s potential is used in an optimum way for their own benefit and for and for that of the community and for the good of the country. Parents generally accept responsibility for the training and education of their children. Without impinging on the school’s terrain of expertise, parents should have a positive attitude towards the education of their children. Parent involvement and participation in school education was largely sporadic and localised in the past; local educational controlling bodies whereon chosen members of the parent community may serve, represent and liaison between the nurturing educative interests of the family. Parent involvement in school activities are further encouraged by parent-teacher associations as well as parent associations on regional, provincial and national level. (The above-mentioned degree was offered by the Vista University. The Mamelodi Campus of the Vista University was incorporated into the University of Pretoria on 2 January 2004.)