Evaluering og kvalitet - inter project

school, home, community
In an investigation carried out by the INCE in 1998 on family and school in secondary
education in Spain, the following data was obtained:
• Participation of parents in school activities is low: a percentage in excess of 80% shows
little or no participation in extra-school activities and also in cultural activities in or out of
school schedule. The greater participation takes place in meetings of great interest for the
centre (51% of parents usually involve themselves often or frequently).
• In 82% of the centres there is an AMPA (Association of Mothers and Parents of Students).
Half of parents participate by means of payment of the quota, and 14% are active
members.
• Another way of participation, the only one with respect to management and decision
making at the educative centre, is the School Council. 42% of parents do not know the
function of this organ for representation, though 65% are very satisfied or satisfied.
• The way of communication most frequently used by families to get in contact with the
centre is the meeting with the tutor (81%), followed by the information through letters
(66%), the meetings with parents of students of a group-class (55%), and the meetings
summoned by the AMPA (54%).
This study concludes,
"the concern of parents is centred on the direct reality of their children, and more
specifically trying to avoid their problems at the centre. Parents concerned for the
management of the centre or the educational plans are a minority. Parents, in
general, don’t feel like being responsible for that aspect of work and it is a
widespread attitude, with few differences among social groups "and that the relation
parents-centre is mainly based on interviews "(p. 70).
In the light of these data,
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• How do you interpret them?
• Do you think the results would have been different in primary education? Why?
• What happens in you local or national context?
• Why do parents not participate more often?
• What can the school do to improve this situation and involve families in the school?