Grandmothers: A Learning Institution - Basic Education and Policy ...

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS FORBASIC EDUCATION“Culture shapes everything we try to do. If we fail to take account of it, we stumble aroundblindfolded; if we learn to see it as a resource and understand how it affects us all, we may beable to create a really sustainable approach to human development.”F. MatarassoThis paper demonstrates that aroundthe world, families and communitiesacknowledge that grandmothersplay an influential role in the socialization,acculturation, and care of children as theygrow and develop. However, basic educationprograms have not seriously taken thisrole into consideration. Education plannersshould reflect on how grandmothers’ influencecould be utilized to increase children’saccess to and acquisition of quality basiceducation.Based on the conclusions listed in the previoussection, a series of questions areposed for education program plannerswho are interested in involving grandmothersin their programs.These questions arefollowed by a series of recommendations.The recommendations are not meant tobe definitive but rather to stimulatethought on how to involve grandmothersand utilize their role and influence on children’seducational development in the familyand community.QUESTIONS FOR EDUCATIONPROGRAM PLANNERSTable 2 includes a list of questions thatshould be considered by organizationsinterested in exploring ways to use grandmothersas a resource in education programs.Reflection on these questionsshould allow organizations involved in educationto think about creative ways toinvolve them more in the future.Based on the roles of grandmothers andgrandparents in children’s development, theabove questions should help educationalplanners reassess their programs givingmore attention to the roles of these communityresource persons. This reflectionalso contributes to the following recommendationsfor basic education programplanners.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASICEDUCATION PLANNERSIn the past, grandparents have not beenconsidered as important actors in basiceducation programs in developing countries.In most cases, they have beenexcluded from school settings and programs,in part because of negative stereotypestoward them held by school administrators,teachers and sometimes studentsthemselves. In the eyes of many educators,the non-inclusion of grandparents isjustified, first, by the fact that many grand­GRANDMOTHERS:THE LEARNING INSTITUTION43