Status of Parents Involvement in School and the Need for Empowering Them the Case of Three Special Day Schools For the Hearing Impaired
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Date
2001-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
It was intended to investigate the status of parents' involvement in three schools for
the hearing impaired and the need for parental empowerment. Data sources were
parents, teachers and principals. The basic /research/ questions investigate issues
surrounding the part parents of hearing impaired child ren (PHIC) play in schools, the
endeavor of the school (teachers and prin cipals) to build the capacity of parents for
involvement and the channels in operation for parent-school communication. The
instruments used were sets of interview guides, focus-group discussion and a check
list. The data gathered were analyzed qualitatively in the main, except for the use of
numbers and percentage in a part of it. The finding was that: 1) the effort of staff to
raise parental participation in schools is insig nificant. 2) parental interaction with
school (by way of commenting, suggesting etc) on issues of their children was found
to be low. 3) the channels connecting the school with parents are loose. Generally,
only staff, are involved in the education of CWHI in school.
The implication is that the administration should conduct awareness creation/raising
programs for parents on their role in the education of the children with hearing
impairment. The staff, moreover, has to empower parents to involve in meetings,
conferences, seminars to suggest, or comment, etc about the education of their
hearing impaired children. To this end, of course, teachers and administration should
devise feasible parent-school/teacher communication channels. Moreover, the staff
needs to help parents foster the experience and courage of classroom visit. Above
all, it is highly invaluable that parents are empowered toward exercising their rights
The Ministry of Education shou ld technica lly collaborate with the organizations
financing the schools, especially in staff professional up-grading which seems to
to lerate no more delay.
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Keywords
Special Needs Education