Parents become school insiders

PARENT TEACHER and parent school relationships have changed dramatically for the better, according to parents at the recent annual delegate conference of the National Parents Council (Post Primary). Parents are becoming more involved in their children's education and are now established partners in the education world.

The motions tabled for the conference ranged from special needs to transport, from regional educational boards to the curriculum and examinations. Yes, finance was on the agenda, but parents have come a long way from their silent fund raising role of bygone days.

Ten or 15 years ago, parents dropped their children at the school gate and didn't see them until 4 p.m., says Michael O'Regan, a west Cork parent.

They knew nothing of what was going on in the school and they had no contact with the school. They didn't understand the teaching or the standard of education," he says.

With three children in second level and two in primary, he has seen a huge improvement in the relationships over the years, he says. His eldest son is now 22 years and Regan says he wasn't really involved in his early school days.

"Schools are now very open. I firmly believe that the establishment of parent associations in schools has opened things up in a big way. I also think that having parent representatives on boards of management is a very big step in the right direction. These parents understand the workings of the school," he says.

Some teachers and principals were initially wary of parents becoming involved with the school, he adds. "They saw me as a threat, but they soon found this to be completely untrue. The only reason parents get involved is to help the school," he says.

From virtually no involvement with his children's schools, O'Regan is now on the boards of management of two schools and he is a representative of the Parents' Association for Vocational Schools and Community Colleges (PAVCC) on the NPC-PP.

Nuala Henry, NPC-PP president, says parents first got involved in the voluntary school sector in the mid 1970s when there was a funding crisis, as the introduction of "free" education had increased the numbers of pupils drastically. The establishment of the NPC in 1985 formalised that relationship.

"There is an educational jargon which must be mastered before parents can get the full value from the information they receive," she says. "The NPC can help parents get the information they need. We were also instrumental in getting the Minister to make copies of all circulars available to parents.

AS TO THE FUTURE, she would like to see parents' associations established in all schools. "There are, sadly, a number of schools where the setting up of a parents' council is not exactly encouraged. I think that they don't know what they are missing. The principals of schools which do have parents associations say that they wouldn't be able to do without them. Teachers and schools have absolutely nothing to fear from parents," she says.

Henry would also like parents to be consulted when codes of discipline are being drawn up. If both parties feel an "ownership", the codes are more likely to be managed and implemented, rather than being something that is just sent home to be signed she said.

Mary Eakins, founding member of PAVCC, says that before parent associations there was no structure for parents to relate to the principal and teachers. There were very few parent teacher meetings, and teachers and some principals were wary of parents. "Very gradually, there is no doubt that they have come to accept and realise the value of parents, teachers and management working together," she says.

Home school liaison has started in some schools, and that is a "marvellous innovation Eakins said.

"That programme has helped parents in disadvantaged areas to realise what is going on in school would like to see this scheme extended to all school. There is a strong need in all schools," she says.

Eileen O'Donnell, another NPC delegate, is a typical example of a contributing parent the parent council in her school set up a committee to deal with sport. She has been involved with providing meals and accommodation for visiting teams from abroad.

"I feel that we have contributed a lot. For instance, I have an idea for Transition Year where, rather than giving your children work experience locally, they could go to another part of the country. So a child from an isolated rural background in the west of Ireland might, for example, spend a few weeks in an urban environment." The details have yet to be worked out but she is hopeful it will get off the ground.

She is the parent representative on a VEC drugs advisory subcommittee. "It was set up to provide guidelines for schools. Ten years ago, if there had been any committees there wouldn't have been any parental involvement. It would all have been done by management and the schools."