Parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning
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Date
1998
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to pursue an investigation on parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning.
From the literature study it became evident that education in South Africa has collapsed in many schools. The majority of schools of the former education departments responsible for Black education are characterised by a high failure rate, early school dropout, a lack of discipline, low morale and an anti-academic attitude amongst pupils. To these schools very little has changed since 1994. It would appear that a "culture of teaching and learning" in these schools does not exist. The ongoing turmoil in these schools underscores the failure of parents and principals to work together as partners in assuming responsibility for creating a culture of learning. Creating a culture of learning involves a collaborative act between parents and principals. Neither the parent nor the principal alone can fulfil the task of educating the child adequately. In the interest of the education of the child, the contact and cooperation between parents and principals should denote a partnership.
Although the premise exists that parents (child's primary educator) and principals (child's secondary educator) are indispensable partners for creating a culture of learning, the situation is far from satisfactory. A huge majority of schools in the previously disadvantaged African community has failed badly. The causes for the absence of a learning culture can be attributed to factors concerning the pupils, factors concerning the school environment, problems concerning the homes of pupils and their living environment as well as the lack of parental involvement in the formal education of their children. Parents and principals as educators have a vital role to play in creating a culture of learning. Parents should have no uncertainties as to their educational responsibilities as primary educators. Principals are both educational leaders and managers and their primary task or responsibility is to ensure that effective teaching and learning takes place at their schools.
For the purpose of the empirical investigation two separate self-structured questionnaires for parents and principals were utilised. In addition five postulates pertaining to a partnership between parents and principals were formulated to give direction to this study. The questionnaires that were completed by parents and principals were analyzed and thereafter the data that were obtained was processed and analyzed. This study has confirmed that a meaningful partnership between the parents and the principals is lacking in the majority of schools with regard to the mutual sharing of:
* responsibilities;
* information;
* decision-making;
* skills; and
* accountability.
In conclusion a summary was presented and based on the findings of this study, the following are some of the recommendations that were made:
* Effective media-based parent education programme on parental involvement must be instituted.
* The establishment of schools as community learning centres must receive immediate attention.
* The principal must receive training in and accept responsibility tor initiating parental involvement.
The Department of Education and Culture must:
° ensure that parents and principals are encouraged and supported to become partners in creating a culture of learning by providing them with the necessary guidelines and information;
° make certain that workshops, seminars, lectures and in-service training programmes are conducted for principals on school management and parental involvement;
° provide all members serving on Governing Bodies full training and support in the responsible exercise of their duties, powers and functions; and
° actively propagate the importance of nurturing a harmonious partnership between parents and principals by promoting mutual trust, respect, loyalty, frankness and understanding for each other.
The teaching profession and teacher unions must assume responsibility for creating a culture of learning.
The principals and inspectors must ensure that effective teaching is taking place at schools.
In undertaking their teaching responsibilities, teachers must become highly professional.
The principals and teacher unions must take disciplinary actions against those teachers who violate the code of conduct for teachers.
Description
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
in the Department of Educational Psychology of the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 1998.
Keywords
Parent-teacher relationships--South Africa--KwaZulu-Natal., Parent school relations., Culture of teaching and learning