Online Reporter
Amos Mpofu
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MIDLANDS State University (MSU) lecturer Dr Anna Moyo has urged educationists to foster strong and respectful relationships with parents and guardians, saying meaningful cooperation is key to improving learning standards and promoting harmony within schools.
Speaking during the fourth session of the National Education Summit Zimbabwe currently underway at Lakeside Events Centre along Plumtree Road in Bulawayo, Dr Moyo said strained relations between schools and parents can negatively affect the learning environment and hinder progress in the education sector.
She stressed that close collaboration between schools and parents plays an important role in advancing educational initiatives, particularly the recently introduced heritage-based education curriculum.
Dr Moyo said teachers should value parents and guardians who visit schools to enquire about the academic progress and welfare of their children.
“We are obliged to work hand in glove with the guardians of our learners. We should never undermine elderly parents and guardians who come to consult about the progress of their children. Once they feel neglected or taken for granted, they have the power to damage the reputation of an institution and even negatively affect an educationist’s professional standing,” she said.
“Teachers and school authorities must work closely with parents, listen carefully to their concerns and resolve issues amicably and mutually.”
Dr Moyo highlighted how Midlands State University maintains strong engagement with parents and guardians by communicating developments regularly and consulting them on important matters until a common understanding is reached.
“If you work together with guardians, it becomes easier for them to share valuable knowledge and insights about our heritage, which is now an important component of the education sector,” she said.
“It is also important for teachers to appreciate that parents take these matters seriously. Many of them have educated and influential children who know where to report cases of unfair treatment or poor conduct within institutions.”
