21 May 2018

Parents have been urged to partake in students’ academic work as parental involvement in children’s education has been recognised as pivotal to attainment of quality education.

The advice comes at a time when Masa Primary School Standard Five Red parents adopted the class after consultation with the class teacher and school management on how to address the deteriorating results of the class.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative dubbed Adopt -a-Class, the Ministry of Basic Education (MoBE) principal education officer - curriculum, Ms Gofetamang Phirinyane noted that parents played a key role in creating a supportive environment at home.

She said teachers just like parents had high expectations on parental involvement in the socialisation and support of children.

Ms Phirinyane asserted that parents who were involved in their children’s education normally demonstrated good parental skills, communicated with school staff and helped students learn at home.

She pointed out that active involvement of parents resulted in greater recognition of teachers’ skills and better evaluation from the school heads, adding that positive or negative effects on student’s academic outcomes was as a result of the motivation and involvement of parents.

Ms Phirinyane said such could be achieved through community involvement and support in children’s education as well as regular attendance of Parent Teachers Association (PTA) meetings.

She added that teachers and care givers should strive to meet the primary, emotional, social and intellectual needs of children entrusted to them.

Parents, she said should be involved with student’s education rather than question why results were not pleasing, adding that blame game never helped anyone.

Giving a word of encouragement, South East regional officer, Mr Boy Olekantse said parent involvement in education was needed most in the education sector.

Mr Olekantse pointed out that education was the most expensive commodity more than anything as he cited that during the latest budget allocation, MoBE was awarded the largest portion as compared to all other ministries.

Appreciating parents who adopted the class, Mr Olekantse said such parents knew the cost of education, hence the decision to relieve the government and ministry of the cost of education.

Mr Olekantse added that Adopt-a-Class by Masa parents served as a motivation to parents to start such an initiative.

He ruled out perceptions that community schools were not result-oriented compared to English medium schools stating that parents who enrolled students at English medium schools were fully accountable and engaged in their children’s education.

The parents of Standard Five Red class donated a photocopying machine and awarded best performed students in all subjects as well as overall performer for end of first term 2018.

The initiative was as a result of parents contributing P20 every month, which were channelled towards easing learning such as buying text books and a chalk board. ENDS