The collaborative involvement of parents and teachers has become necessary to bridge the communication gap between parents and their wards, Mrs Chineye Onuorah, Founder of Regalo Hope Foundation (RHF), says.
Onuorah made the assertion during a programme organised by the foundation on Tuesday at the Lagos Theatre, Igando, Lagos.
The programme tagged “Bridging the Communication Gap Between Parents, Teachers and their Wards”, which was held to mark the 2023 International Day of Education had over 30 schools in attendance.
The International Day of Education, an annual event marked on Jan. 24, had the 2023 theme as “To Invest in People, Prioritise Education”.
Onuorah noted that the idea was to take advantage of the Day to bring the three sets together, rather than talking to them separately.
“We realised that we have not been able to tackle the gap since the launch of this campaign in 2017, hence we decided to bring in the teachers in this year’s edition.
“So, what bridging the communication gap between parents, teachers and their wards does is that it brings togetherness among all and creates an enabling environment to tackle issues as the case may be.
“Most parents do not know what is going in the lives of their children, teachers cannot communicate with parents effectively and children can’t even talk to their teachers.
“It is a gap between these three sets of people,” she expressed.
Onuorah, also the Project Manager of RHF, said that the body was tackling the issue through the Parents Teachers’ Associations (PTA) and RHF mentoring clubs which have no fewer than 624 members across.
She noted that the deaf community who was also present and participated in activities at the event was part of the charge given by the UN on the need for an inclusive society to address challenges holistically.
Speaking, Mrs Alice Aniemeke, the Keynote Speaker, urged teachers to adopt an ‘open door policy’ and make themselves approachable to encourage parents or wards who are introverts to talk.
Aniemeke reminded teachers to bring to bear the LAFF measure, which according to her, is part of the training they are exposed to.
“It is one of the most creative ways teachers can communicate with parents.
“L- listen, emphasis and communicate with respect, A- ask questions and ask for permission to take notes, F – focus on issues, F – find the first step to resolve the issues, and don’t cry,” she added.
The programme, which engaged students in Spelling B and current affairs competitions, also had panel sessions, and discussions which provided a platform and opportunity for stakeholders to brainstorm and make recommendations.
The stakeholders called for effective communication among the parents, teachers and their wards where each set would be free to express themselves and there must be collaboration to sustain the system.
On the sideline, Mrs Christy Nosa-Ihaza, a member of the panel, who described the programme as ‘wonderful’, commended the RHF initiative and said the topic would bring transformation in the communication channel.
G & G Quintessential School, Igando, won the Spelling B and Current Affairs competitions.
The Nistech College, Egbeda came 2nd Position, while Solid Steps International College finished 3rd Position and all smiled home with gifts.
