Parental engagement paying off for students

Dubai: Parental involvement in children's education is increasingly seen as a catalyst to academic excellence. Educationalists believe that in a cut-throat competitive world, good schooling and quality teaching can seldom ensure results if parents are disengaged from their wards' education.

Ralph Tabberer, the UK's former Director General of Schools at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, who now works with GEMS Education, has attributed the parental disinterest to the lacklustre performance of British students.

Drawing a parallel between the British students and their Indian counterparts in Dubai, Tabberer, the Chief School Officer, said it was "humbling to see Indian children at schools of 5,000 pupils, where costs per head were a sixth to those in British schools, achieve far superior GCSE results."

He said the British parents have failed to teach children to value education and encourage the spirit of competitiveness.

"Indian or Asian children have a global advantage over their peers as their parents talk to children often and convey the importance of education in their lives. They take every opportunity to take them on education trips, talk about education programmes on TV and reinforce what their children are doing in their schools. Educational research has always shown that high parental engagement in students' learning has a high payoff in students' performance. And that is what we see in abundance among Indian parents," Tabberer told Gulf News.

He said his experience with Asian schools in Dubai so far reveals a close relationship among parents, schools and students, which is missing in UK.

"What you see here is a model for the rest of the world. In the UK, it is a cultural baggage that parents have got disengaged from their children's school," noted Ralph, who stepped down from the second top civil service post in the UK to join GEMS, the biggest private education provider in the world.

But Jenny Palmer, a British mother of two, disagrees with Ralph.

"I think British parents are as actively involved in their children's education as any other from any part of the world. Children are not scoring because the academic orientation is poor in many state schools," said Palmer.

UAE topper in this year's Grade X CBSE results, Akhilesh Mohan, has no doubt that it is the motivation and guidance he received at home that made him the winner.

"Like all Indian parents, my parents too had imbibed in me from my childhood itself that education is the most important thing in life, and urged me to give my best to studies," said the Abu Dhabi Indian School student.

Usha Mohan, his mother, proudly claims that she has played a key role in grooming him to be a hard-working student who takes his studies seriously.

"I have done everything possible to source out information and study materials for Akhilesh and give him support and encouragement. And of course, it was up to him to use it for the best of his advantage," said Usha.

Commenting on the parents' engagement in education, Resmi Nandkeolyar, principal, Delhi Private School in Dubai, said until grade five of their wards education, parental involvement is at the maximum.

"Teachers at times would feel that they are actually teaching the parents. And it is amazing to see that parents are ready to do any self-sacrifice for their children's education," said Nandkeolyar.

"Academic excellence is given top priority in most Indian homes. That certainly builds an atmosphere where children also start regarding education as the most important aspect in their lives," she added.

Taaleem, the second largest education provider in the UAE, said striving for positive partnerships with parents is always a priority for the schools.

"Many of our Principals and staff have noted that the level of parental involvement in our schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is significantly higher than it would be in their home countries," said Clive Pierrepont, Director of Communications and Marketing at Taaleem.

The observation is right as for Asians, especially Indians, education stands as the first priority for their children. Ironically, the concept of education was imbibed from the colonial British Raj , the difference being that when the British relaxed their control over their children and education, the then-colonies kept it close to their hearts. Many a time I've noticed that the courses offered with international acclaim are done for the sake of 'show' whereas the material remains the same as any 3rd world country or even lesser. The old vine in a new package has become the attraction for many aspiring students as many companies only look for candidates with a UK or US degree. Education has rather become a successful business these days.
Agniyah Shaikh
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: June 20, 2009, 13:17