UNIT: 6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL’S PARENTS’ ORGANIZATION (PTAS) IN SUPPORTING AND RAISING AWARENESS IN INCLUSION OF LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES.
Key Unit Competence: Describe the roles & responsibilities andIntroductory Activityactive collaboration with parents in theeducation of learners with disabilities andother special needs in the schools.
Roles and responsibilities of parents in education of learners with
disabilities and SEN in Rwanda
Read the following text and answer the question that follow:
It is known that in education, there are three important partners: teachers,
students and parents. Parents play a big role in the learning and teaching
process because they do not just provide school fees. Parents inspire
children essentially, therefore, without their support or engagement,
children will feel left out or miss out on important values.
Parents’ engagement in academics benefits both children and parents.
Being actively involved in a child’s education journey gives them motivation.
Active engagement also gives parents a better understanding of the school
curriculum and activities, which makes them more comfortable with the
quality of education their child is receiving.
For children with disabilities, empowering parents is seen as a way to
help them build essential skills and excel, parents’ engagement in their
children’s activities helps children with disabilities achieve more regardless
of their background or parents’ education level. Learners generally achieve
better results and have better self-esteem, self-discipline and also show
higher aspirations and motivation towards school because of their parents’
involvement.
In Rwanda, parents support education through the Parents-Teachers’
Association (PTAs). The roles and responsibilities of PTAs include but are
not limited to the following:
• Volunteer in classroom activities
• Raise money for school supplies and children’s scholastic materials,
• Support the school’s efforts and initiatives
• Monitor children’s academic progress.
Questions:
1. Name the three important partners working together in education.
2. Describe how parents benefit from their involvement in education.
3. Parents’ involvement in education builds motivation in children.
Explain how children with disabilities do benefit from this parental
involvement in their education.
4. In Rwanda, parents support education through the Parents-
Teachers’ Association (PTAs). State some of the key roles and
responsibilities of PTAs.
6.1. Roles and responsibilities of family members in supporting inclusive
education
Activity 6.1.
Use books or other sources of information to answer the following
questions:
1. How do you understand the situation of children with disabilities in
their homes and families?
2. Describe the level of parents’ understanding and involvement in
supporting the education of children with SEN and disabilities
The situation of children with disabilities in their homes and families is
somehow critical. In Rwanda, few children with disabilities are able to go
to school. According to the 2012 census, there were 85,498 children with
disabilities (1.7 per cent of the total child population under the age of 17).
Among the critical factors limiting children with disabilities from attending
school, there is the negative attitudes within the communities they live.
Communities do not know enough about the rights of children with disabilities
and SEN, the existing laws on disability and their roles/responsibilities towards
children with disabilities and SEN. This increases stigma, discrimination and
shame for children with disabilities.
The level of parents’ understanding and involvement in the education of
children with disabilities and SEN is critically low. Some parents are ignorant
about the value of educating children with disabilities. Some do not play their
roles and responsibilities because they think that children with disabilities
have little value, that they cannot learn and that the disability is contagious
and can be transmitted to other children in a classroom. In some families,
parents still hide their children with disabilities in their homes or backyards.
There are cases in some communities where children with disabilities are
abandoned and left out, unsupported by family members and parents.
Though some parents are not willing to support their children’s education, their
roles remain vital. Parental involvement activities have been represented as
existing along a single continuum that extends from home-based activities
to school-based activities and finally to home-school collaboration. At one
end of the continuum, parents are at home activities, such as reviewing
children’s notes, ensuring school attendance, and monitoring homework.
In the middle, parents are traditional at school activities, such as attending
parent-teacher meetings and volunteering. At the other end, parents are
more collaborative at-school activities, such as planning classroom activities
with teachers and participating in developing educational materials. These
activities give parents more power and influence over how the school is run.
In Rwandan inclusive schools, parents’ organizations have particular roles to
play in preparing their children with disabilities and supporting and providing
guidance to the school. More importantly:
• Parents and households have regular, meaningful two-way
communication with the school;
• Parents have an integral role in assisting school learning;
• Parents are full partners in decision making about education outcomes
for their children;
• Parents are welcome in the school and their support for children’s
learning is sought. They are entitled to embracing the school efforts
and initiatives that are meant to promote children’s discipline.SELF Assessment 6.1
1. Describe the situation of children with disabilities in Rwandan
families and communities.
2. Explain why parents do not play their roles and responsibilities
in supporting the education of children with disabilities in some
homes, families and backyards.
3. Outline major roles played by parents in supporting the education
of learners with disabilities.
6.2. Roles and responsibilities of Parents-Teachers’
Organizations in Rwandan schools
Activity 6.2.
1. How could you describe the structure of Parents-Teachers’
Association and Local Education Activists in Rwandan schools
2. What are the major roles of the Parents-Teachers’ Association
and Local Education Activists in Rwandan schools
Parent-school partnerships in many Rwandan schools are not yet sufficiently
developed in order to ensure children meet the national goals established
in myriad educational policies and visions for future development. We know
that many barriers to effective collaboration stem from lack of understanding
around the impact parents and communities can have when they truly
engage with children in ways that support their learning and development.
To overcome the challenge, in all Rwandan schools, parents are grouped into
Organisations known as Parents-Teachers’ Associations (PTAs). The latter
are closely involved in the day-to-day running of the school and generally
contributing to the performance and management of the school.
The PTA works under two organs:
• The PTA governing committee: is composed of the Chairperson,
Vice-chairperson, Secretary (Head-teacher), treasurer, teacher
representative and councilors. The latter are involved in taking decisions
on all matters regarding the functioning of the school, through regular
consultations with the head teacher, and following resolutions taken by
the General Assembly meeting on a quarterly basis.
• The PTA General assembly: is composed of all parents of children
enrolled in the school and all teachers. The latter is in charge of electing
the board Governing Committee and approving rules and regulations
regarding the overall functioning of the school. It is also playing an
oversight role in assessing the extent to which the resolutions have
been implemented by the Governing Committee.
In Rwandan schools, the PTA members are looking at how the school is
managed and striving to enhance the quality of education, by raising the
school performance in children’s academics and discipline.
The education experts show that PTAs are contributing to having better
teachers, improving children’s learning outcomes and discipline and holding
school authorities to account for their bursaries on a timely and in right
manner.
The PTA is a very important body that bridges the gap between teachers and
parents. It facilitates good learning for all children in general and children
with disabilities in particular.
As members of school PTAs, parents can also have a direct impact on the
education of their children.
Their specific roles are to:
• Demonstrate positive and supportive attitudes towards children with
disabilities and SEN.
• Help to integrate children with disabilities in their families and make
sure that the children are provided with adequate services so that they
can learn. These include guidance and counselling, physiotherapy,
occupational therapy and health-related services.
• Help to integrate children with disabilities in the community.
• Express interest in and praise their children’s achievements.
• Be able to identify signs of disabilities or SEN and know how to prevent
and respond to these needs.
• Identify existing service providers that can help children with disabilities.
• Participate actively in school boards, support groups and parents’
associations aimed at advocating for inclusive education and supporting
families with children with disabilities and SEN.
• Work with other stakeholders by providing the necessary information and
support that enables children with disabilities and SEN to successfully
access and remain in school.
• Visit their children’s school regularly to meet with teachers and school
authorities and discuss their child’s progress.
SELF Assessment 6.1
1. Discuss the reasons why the Parent-school partnerships in many
Rwandan schools are not yet sufficiently developed.
2. Outline the benefits of introducing the PTAs in Rwandan inclusive schools.
6.3. Roles and responsibilities of parents of Learners with
Disabilities and other SENs
Activity 6.3.
1. What are the roles of parents of learners with disabilities in
rwandan schools?
2. Define the parent-school partnership.
Parents of Learners with Disabilities will support the development of IE
through playing the following roles:
• Working alongside stakeholders in order to provide the necessary
information and support that enables their children to successfully
access and remain in school
• Supporting their child to physically access school
• Visiting school regularly in order to meet with their child’s teachers and
school authorities so as to discuss how their child is progressing
• Informing the school and local authorities immediately of any event that
has the potential to affect their child’s attendance at school
• Helping school teachers with the production of didactic materials
• Supporting educators on extra-instructional practices required for
learners who are quite exceptional.
• Epstein’s Model for Parental Involvement
Six aspects showing the importance of the two-way communication model
(parent-school partnership):
• Parenting: Assist families with parenting skills, family support,
understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home
conditions to support learning. Assist schools in understanding
families’ backgrounds, cultures, and goals for children.
• Communicating: Communicate with families about school
programs and student progress. Create effective, reliable two-way
communication channels between school and home.
• Volunteering: Improve recruitment and training to involve families
as volunteers and as audiences at the school. Enable educators to
work with volunteers who support students and the school. Provide
meaningful work and flexible scheduling.
• Learning at home: Involve families with their children in academic
learning at home, including homework, goal setting, and other
curriculum-related activities.
• Decision-making: Include families as participants in school
decisions, governance, and advocacy activities through school
councils or improvement teams, committees, and other organizations.
• Collaborating with the community: Coordinate resources and
services for families, students, and the school with community groups,
including businesses, agencies, cultural and civic organizations, andcolleges or universities.
SELF Assessment 6.3
1. List two important activities which can mutually be run by parents
of learners with disabilities and teachers in a bid to support IE.
2. Name the six aspects showing the importance of the two-way
communication model proposed by Epstein.
6.4. Collaboration between parents of learners with
disabilities and SEN, schools and PTAs
Activity 6.2.
1. Using a compelling case, convince school head teachers, teachers
and PTAs that they should closely work with parents of children
with disabilities?
2. The fact that parents of learners with disabilities are not closely
working with head teachers, teachers and PTAs can impede
children’s education. Yes or No. Explain your answer. with peers.
Effective collaboration generates positive effects:
It is important to involve parents of learners with disabilities in the education.
Parents of learners with disabilities should work with schools and PTAs in
order to:
• Share common experiences about the education of children with
disabilities, difficulties and solutions;
• Initiate collective projects that will generate income to support the
education of children with disabilities in schools (eg. afford to pay
scholastic materials);
• Advocate for the rights of children with disabilities in education at
national, district and sector levels in order for the local authorities to
take action while programming and budgeting for IE;
• Suggest a range of support services that are needed to support
children’s learning in schools (eg. buy assistive devices and make
appropriate teaching- learning materials)
• Discuss on any possible referral mechanism that is to be put in place
for children with disabilities (eg. work with community health workers
to identify children with disabilities who need remedial services and
specialized services for rehabilitation services);
• Sensitize the school and local community in order to have a better
understanding of inclusive education, the nature of impairment and
special educational needs;
• Mobilize the local community to become involved in activities that
promote the education of learners with disabilities.
Consequences of ineffective collaboration
Failure to not collaborate with parents in their children’s education negatively
affects both parents and children’s performance. Consequences are many:
• Parents are the first educators of their children. Once they are not
involved, they do not influence their children’s learning and development.
• Parents do not have trust in the school and continue to loose
expectations on schools to educate their children.
• Parents do not share responsibilities with schools and the latter alone
cannot be responsible for the education of children
• Lack of positive relationships among schools and parents can have
negative effects on children’s learning outcomes
• When parents and educators do not know each other, learners tend to
have indiscipline.
SELF Assessment 6.3
1. Explain the reasons why you think it is important for parents of
learners with disabilities to work with PTAs.
2. What are the consequences of not involving parents in the
education of learners with disabilities and other SEN?
END UNIT ASSESSMENT
Section A:
1. Children with disabilities in Rwanda remain hidden in their families
and communities. What does this mean on enrolment statistics?
2. Advise parents on how they can effectively play their roles and
responsibilities in supporting the education of children with
disabilities in their homes and families.
Section B:
1. Mention and explain the roles of the two organs of the PTA in
Rwandan schools.
Section C:
1. Discuss the major roles of parents of learners with disabilities in
supporting IE.
Section D:
1. Suggest 3 main practical tips and ways you can use to strengthen
collaboration between parents of learners with disabilities, head
teachers, teachers and PTAs.