The Role of Family and Communities in

Education

T H E G L O B A L H U M A N R E S O U R C E S F O R U M

Mae Chu ChangMae Chu ChangHead

Human Development SectorThe World Bank Indonesia

November 2, 2011

Content

Developed countries – Community and parent role in education

ECED in Developing Countries

1

2

2

ECED in Developing Countries

Primary Education in Developing Countries

3

Developed Countries 3

ECEDECED

Caregivers stimulate development at homeCaregivers stimulate development at home

1. Impact of Parental Engagement on Student Achievement

In Developed Countries:US, UK

4

Higher Cognitive

Scores

Higher Cognitive

Scores

Better language, more complex

sentences

Better language, more complex

sentences

Readiness for schoolReadiness for school

Better gains throughout

school

Better gains throughout

school

Superior social skills

and executive function

Superior social skills

and executive function

Source: Henderson, A. & Mapp. K (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Annual Synthesis

Primary & Junior Secondary

Primary & Junior Secondary

Outreach, Workshops for parents, Interactive

Outreach, Workshops for parents, Interactive

1. Impact of Parental Engagement on Student Achievement

In Developed Countries

5

parents, Interactive homework, Expectations

parents, Interactive homework, Expectations

Higher scores in:Higher

scores in: ReadingReading WritingWriting Mathematics (up 40%)

Mathematics (up 40%)

Source: Henderson, A. & Mapp. K (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Annual Synthesis

Voices of Students

6Wordle generated based on student responses to survey by the Citizens League in 2008.

But the developed world is very different from the developing one…

Developing CountriesECED

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• Infrastructure

• Trained teachers

• Center-based

Traditional Pre-School Programs

• Center-based

• Government or

Privately driven

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Alternative ECD Approaches

• Minimum infrastructure – draw on local resources

• Trained community mothers

• Flexible designs – comprehensive services

nutrition, childcare, early stimulation, parenting

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Individual SessionsGroup Sessions

Alternative ECD Approaches

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Community driven Early Childhood Education and Development

Critical factor:

Community Ownership

Volunteers from Community – trained to lead teaching program at Early Childhood

Mozambique

11Source: Human Development Sector, Africa Region, The World Bank (2011)

lead teaching program at Early Childhood Centers

Community driven ECED in Mozambique

0.830.91

0.83

0.68

0.530.59

0.650.54 0.56

0.36

0.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

Preschool Control

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Programs that develop young children’s learning skills are important because children who start out as high performers tend to remain that way, while children who have a poor start tend to remain poor students.

Source: Human Development Sector, Africa Region, The World Bank (2011)

00.10.2

Can distinguish between two

numbers

Interested in Math

Interested in games that

involve numbers

Can count to twenty

Can recognize shapes

The case for involving community

1. Control of funds with the

community instead of

with service providers

2. Participation of

community members in

decision-making

Indonesia and ECED:

decision-making

3. Skill and capacity

development at local

levels

4. Improving the quality of

local governance

5. Pillars of anti-corruption

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ECED in Indonesia

142011

ECED in Indonesia

152011

Community and parental participation in ECED does work in both developing and developed countries.

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What about Primary Education in developing countries?

Developing CountriesPrimary Education 17

• Near universal primary education enrollment

• Junior secondary enrollment: about 59 percent for children from low-income families.

• 2007 TIMSS result shows that nearly 80 percent of Indonesian students achieved “low” and “under low”

Primary Education in Indonesia

performance in mathematics.

• Need for better quality of education.

• Government embraces School Based Management over last decade.

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Student Learning Outcomes

Resource Policies

Instructional Processes

School Management Committee

Personnel Policies

How School-Based Management influences Learning Outcomes

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Government• Policy Formation• System and

standards design• Regulation• Quality Assurance• Professional

support to schools

Community• Media and social

culture• Business and NGO

support for schools• Community

resources for informal ed.

Family• Parenting• Homework support• Parent-teacher

association• Participation in

school governance• Voluntary services

Source: Adapted from “Transforming Schools into Dynamic and Accountable Professional Learning Communities”. School Based Management Consultation Document. www.info.gov.hk/archive/consult/2000/SBM

The right policies are in place…

Resources are available…

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but, what is the parents’ view?

• “At school, children are the teachers’ responsibilities, at home the parents’.”

• “It is best that parents don’t interfere at the school. If there is a problem, it is the teacher/school responsibility to let the parent know.”

Indonesia – Parent Voices:

• “We don’t understand about school problems, they (teachers and principal) understand them better, so we leave everything to the school.”

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“My authority is limited in this office. Here I just manage, we are all friends. These friends (teachers) implement the programs, not me.”

“If anything happened, we discuss it with teachers, along with the committee, and then we ask

Indonesia – Principals’ Voices:

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teachers, along with the committee, and then we ask for supervisor’s instructions, so we don’t decide by ourselves.”

“Obviously we talk to other principals and schools, we don’t dare go on our own.”

Indonesia: Parental Voice and InvolvementPercentage of Parents Reporting They Attended School Meetings,

by School Matters Discussed, 2010

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1512

710

13

10

20

30

40

50

Perc

enta

ge o

f Pare

nts

23Source: Chen, D. et al (2011). Indonesia: Status of School Based Management. The World Bank.

• 2 – the number of times, per year, that parents ‘met’ principals.• <20% - Parents reporting that school vision, workplan, curriculum were

discussed.• 80% - Parentsnever attended a school committee meeting or had ever received

information from their school committee

0

School Vision School Work

Plan

School

Curriculum

Academic

Calendar

Textbooks Extra-curricular

Activities

Indonesia: Parental and Community Voice

Parent Community

Type of StakeholderNo Pressure Pressure

ScoreNo Pressure Pressure

ScoreDistrict head 37 1.6 39 1.7Sub-district head 45 1.7 59 1.3Supervisor 24 2.2 26 2.0

Percentage of Stakeholders Reporting Pressure From Parents and Community to Improve Student Achievement,

by Type of Stakeholder, 2010

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Supervisor 24 2.2 26 2.0Education Boardchair 42 1.5 44 1.5Principal 37 1.7 48 1.4Teacher

57 1.1 65 .9

Note: Pressure score based on scale of 0 to 4 with no pressure=0; very weak pressure=1;

weak pressure=2; intense pressure=3; and very intense pressure=4.

Source: Chen, D. et al (2011). Indonesia: Status of School Based Management. The World Bank.

1. Improve school capacity to communicate with parents

2. Empower school committee

How can the gap be bridged?

2. Empower school committee

3. Increase parental awareness

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Social Marketing and Information Campaign

Increase parental awareness

National Level

Public adsBasic School Grants

information to general public

• Improve parental attitude towards participation• Increase knowledge and understanding of parents• Induce more active involvement of parents

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District Level

Social events, radio

talk shows, TV programs

Transparency, accountability, and collaboration between

school and parents

School Level

Printed materials, school meetings

Parents participation and contribution in school

management

Preliminary Findings

Invitations from school meant surge in parent attendance

More transparency meant more support from parents

Social Marketing and Information Campaign

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More understanding of need to be involved in school management

Strong support of information campaign

• Ownership by community and by parents is imperative to successful education.

• Developing and Developed country cases are different and require different approaches

• Schools need to reach out to parents and communities

Conclusion

communities

• Basic resources and regulatory framework should be in place – enabling environment

• Public information campaigns are required to empower and inform both schools and parents.

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Linda Frechtel