Abstract

School’s success mainly depends upon active participation of parents in schools. The role of school principals is crucial in providing more opportunities for parents to participate in their kids’ performances and progress. Their effective participation with schools greatly enhances the academic and non-academic performance of the learners.  It is the strong home-school connection that motivates teachers and school faculty to make the school better. A sample of 30 principals and 80 parents were selected for the study. Data were collected through questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed statistically and conclusions were drawn at the end.  It was concluded that private school principals were more active and connected with the parents of their students as compared to the public schools. The study identified that school and home communication could enhance the learners’ motivational level, classroom performance and social behavior.

Key Words

Parents, Principals, participation, Comparison, Schools.

Introduction

Parents’ participation has a direct relationship in promoting good education to their children because if parents’ visits and reports about their kids’ educational progress, strengths and weaknesses to their concerned teachers, and also provide feedback about school made queries on time, it will be very encouraging for the children and school.  School actually builds most strong and productive relationship between teachers and taught. Teaching and learning process is fundamentally inter-relational. Essential areas of school climate are the models of standards, objectives, ethics, principles as well as connectivity which define associations inside institutions. However, the connected people in community feel about each other one of the aspects of relationship with school. From psychological point of view, the significant part of an association is to experience and take care of ourselves by means of relationships within and without as a consequence of a high degree of good relationship.  Detailed work has been done on student-teacher relationship which affirms the elevated performance and achievement of students due to positive attitude of teachers.

National Education Policy (1979) stated that private sectors play an important role in the development of education in a country. Teachers’ staffroom atmosphere, their collegiality and involvement along with administration were vital factors of institution atmosphere. Working environment of teacher is a symbol of mutual relation of staff with each other and school head and administrators; it actually designed the whole school character and path of climate change.

A teacher has the most important role in building positive school home relation and is the link between community and school.  The school Principals lays down the pitch for the school, creates an atmosphere for alliance between school and home, and facilitates both students and parents achieve the skills to work jointly and efficiently for student success. Family and community connections have a great effect on students’ academic achievements at the secondary level, such as language efficiency and subjects related matters. These connections between school and community provide opportunities for the student to learn a variety of other opportunities in the society.




Objectives of the Study 

1. To make comparative analysis of government and private school principals’ role in parental participation in education at secondary level.

2. To find the difference between private and government schools regarding parental participation at secondary level.




Research Questions  

1. What is the perception of government and private secondary school principals about parental participation in education?

2. What is the difference between private and government schools regarding parental participation?

Literature Review

Epstein & Jansorn, (2004) stated that economy is an important element but if poor parents create good liaison with teachers and school even then the school climate will be more effective and positive.

It’s essential to change schools’ climate to bring executive revolution and that there will be a fundamental affiliation involving the position of the head along with directorial knowledge. A responsibility throughout assessments has happened to a hazard, institution heads required toward effort for long term climate to make educational atmosphere stronger. Furthermore, the impression of an organization head is very specific to prolong institution development. He endorses that organization heads should work for new instruction and educational processes to develop in the organization. A survey of different schools explains that in order to enhance teacher’s morale along with student’s achievement one should focus on development of the school’s climate. School heads were to be aware of their own school’s climate, the ways how a low performing high school climate can be changed by new Principal and it positively influences student performance and achievement. School performs positive role in conducting merely ‘recapturing’ instead of ‘restructuring’ model. Further they revealed that authentic and constant changes can be readily acquired by change of school climate, instead of altering the structural design for school functioning (Sheldon, 2003).

Christie (2005) said that, unfortunately, the parents were so busy that they cannot visit their children’s schools regularly and that’s why they were ignorantly making their child’s school ineffective or weaker as compared to the developed schools. According to Patall, Cooper & Robinson (2008) that the definition of parental involvement used in research is often not unambiguous, which leads to the conclusion that in studying the phenomenon of parental involvement many other factors and the relation between these factors should be taken into account. Keechia (2007) also observed that parental involvement improves the opportunities of children’s well progress at school, however research recommends that parent involvement may be on the decline. Keane added also that student achievement signifies more than just rankings. Presence, students’ approaches toward school, student’s performance, and the drop-out rate all associate with student success. Nasir et al,.(2013) stated that Usually, institutions were to react through immediate, castigatory for obedience techniques never support suitable manners along with have a tendency towards organization atmosphere to spotlight not taking place. In school climate, advices and guidance should be provided by the teachers, principals and administrators in regard to their future. Secondary education persuades the profession expansion to the larger part of the youth. According to Khan (2017) the effective communication between school and family is only possible through public and private partnership. In this type of partnership, the schools can share their strengths and weaknesses and suggest remedial measures easily. The learning of children must be the mutual responsibilities of children, teachers and parents because it is not an individual job but a collective job.  Anderson and Minke (2007) deliberated school principal as connector between school and home. Because he sustains close bonds with parents and efficiently develops school and family links with enthusiasm. This is important for the school principals and parents to understand that involvement of parents in school activities is essential for emotional, intellectual and social growth of children.

Parental engagement referred that parents’ involvement in the education of their children would be about children’s performance and also to give them courage and force about their studies.  (Clinton & Hattie, 2013).

According to Hornby and Lafaele (2011) parent involvements was a significant point in education like listening to their children as they read, help in their homework as well as school-based activities, which include attending parents meeting and education workshops.

School-parents’ participation make a positive impact on children's education. According to Llamas and Tuazon (2016) parents became comfortable when the schools engaged them in school about their kids. School leaderships need to facilitate parents about their children and to give them opportunities to help the schools in achieving their mission and goal (Sapungan & Sapungan, 2014). Parents’ involvement can improves academic performance of their children and it also provides them opportunities to show their potentialities and skills in a better manner and they also become more focused in their study (Kwatubana & Makhalemele, 2015). Lemmer (2007) stated that parents’ communication with schools can improve their children’s self-esteem, attendance and best social behavior. Sivertsen (2015) added that parent involvement is related to the better behavior, low absenteeism and optimism in their children.

Methodology of the Research

It was a descriptive study of the comparative role of public and private schools head regarding their communication status with the parents of students.

 

Population and Sampling

The population of the study comprised of all the secondary schools of public and private sectors of District Peshawar. The researcher selected randomly 15 public girls’ school head and 15 private girls’ school principals.

 

Data Analysis

Statement	Public YES %	Public NO %	Private Yes %	Private No %
Principals communication with parents is satisfactory	40	60	60	40
Principal maintain diary about parents contact number	5	95	65	35
Principal call parents for result declaration	4	96	90	10
School invite community for students motivation	3	97	20	80
The school holds parents days in school	45	55	70	30
The school invites all the parents on the occasion of parent’s day	33	67	70	30
The school shares the progress of children with their parents	10	90	85	15
The school shares the weak performance of students with their parents	23	77	70	30
School informed parents about children issues	20	80	77	23
Parents get monthly update	10	90	64	36
Students problems were responded to the parents	45	55	85	15
School encourage parents volunteer for school  tasks	34	66	78	22
Parents are invited by the school in events	45	55	80	20
Schools welcome parents at school	60	40	90	10
School share its annual report with parents	3	97	25	75
Parents attend school co-curricular event	5	95	80	20

 

In response to item about communication, the replies of private sector were more encouraging. Private school heads were maintaining diary about contact numbers and contact with the parents as compared to public respondents. It was observed that majority of the public schools’ principals were not supported the statement and the private school principals were agreed that school held parents’ days in school. Table results observed that majority of the public-school principals were not agreed with the statement and the private school principals were mostly agreed that the school invites all the parents on the occasion of parent’s day. it was observed that majority of the Government principals are not agreed, and the Private school principals were agreed that is the school shares the progress report of children from time to time with their parents. The table displays that majority of the public-school principals did not agree with the statement and the private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that was the school shares the weak performance of the students with their parents. The table it was observed that majority of the Public-school principals were not agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that was the school calls parents and discusses with them the discipline problem of children. The table it was observed that majority of the Public School principals were not agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that school sends monthly newsletters to the parents. The table it was observed that majority of the Public School principals were not agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that was If the child has a problem the school responds to it effectively. The table it was observed that majority of the Public School principals were not agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that was the school encourage parents volunteer at school needed by the school. The table it was observed that majority of the Public School principals were not agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that the school invite parents to participate in school events. The table it was observed that majority of the Public School principals were agreed with the statement and the Private school principals were mostly agreed with the statement that the school encourages and welcomes parents. The responses of private schools were more positive about co-curricular activities and sharing annual reports with students as compared to government schools.

Discussion

Holding parents’ days and inviting parents to schools on different occasions is a good opportunity where parents and teachers can exchange views about their children’s education matters. However, Government school principals did not arrange such events. While private school principals were more active and clear about parental participation and mostly hold such events. This was confirmed by the positive responses of parents of private school students. It is necessary to share the progress report and also communicate weak performance of students with their parents and it also supported by (Siversten, 2005). 

The parents too endorsed the view that they were never informed by the school about the study progress of their children (lemmer, 2007) also concluded the same results. However, the private school principals always shared the progress of students with their parents. Similarly, Public schools paid least attention to call parents and discuss with them the discipline problem of child if any. On the other hand, the private school principals considered it important and always shared the discipline problems of students with their parents. It was concluded that Public school principals were passive while private school principals were more active in involving parents and this fact is also identified by (Epstein and jansortan, 2004). Regarding the statement that school encouraged parents to volunteer at school whenever needed by the school, the responses of Public and private school principals were in contrast to each other. The parents too had opposite views regarding the intervention. It was found that private school principals always encouraged volunteers and welcomed parents in their school. Furthermore, they also did not hold discussions with child parents about his/her school, classwork and homework. The private schools principals, though not enough but to some extent render this responsibility like another study by( Kechia, 2007). It is also identified that both sectors did not think it necessary to invite parents on excursions and other celebrations in order to monitor and give suggestions for improvement of their children but just for attendance. 

Conclusion

The study indicated that private school made arrangements and briefed parents about the behavior of their children at school. Even they arranged seminars for parents. In contrast, the Public School did not provide such facility in their school. Thus it was not taught necessary to discuss the behavior problems of students with parents. That’s why the behavioral changes of their children were unknown to their parents. However, both private and Public-school principals agreed on the statement that the school does not arrange teacher’s visits to the pupil homes. There was uniformity in their views which indicated that such steps or arrangements were never carried out by both categories of principals. The department of education must put forward clear regulations and guidelines about parental participation in schools. It is their foremost priority to offer direction to school principals related to forms, types and purposes for parent participation. The education policymakers must develop policies and clear guidelines that elucidate the array of ways in which parents can be productively engaged in schools. Family and community connections have a great effect on students’ academic achievements at the secondary level, such as language efficiency and subjects related matters. These connections between school and community provide opportunities for the student to learn a variety of other opportunities in society.

Recommendations

• The role of Public-School principal in parental involvement when compared with private schools was very passive. Therefore, Public school principals need to broaden their approach and outlook. 

• The establishment of PTAs in every Public school is mandatory. The principals must make strong coordination between PTAs and parents. Principals must ensure that members of PTAs were trained to keep a close relationship with parents whose children were in the school.  

• The school principals should regularly conduct such events in which Parents could be invited. They should be encouraged to participate in school activities at different levels.

• The school principals should allocate a room in school for visiting parents. This room will be a resource center where parents may come and discuss the educational matters of their children. 

• It is recommended that school principals arrange scheduled visits of school teachers to students’ home. 

• The volunteer parents can be used as change agents in the society to get the support of other members of the community.  

• It is recommended that education department allocate special funds for this purpose. When the school is resourceful, and all the needed materials were available then the school principal will be in a better position to interact with parents and involve them in the school affairs.

• It is recommended that the school principals need to send monthly or quarterly progress report to parents in local languages and update them regularly about the performance and learning behaviors of their children.  

• The parents should take their responsibility and change the notion that their work is not only to send their children to school but also to keep a hawk eye on their progress in education. 

References