Play ‘bigger’ role parents

PARENTS in Pacific countries need to play a bigger role in the learning activities of their children.

This was a recommendation by the World Bank’s latest Pacific Economic Update where it scrutinised the challenges impacting student learning.

“Parental involvement in learning activities with young children (such as singing songs, naming objects, and reading stories) is limited in the region, which hinders children’s development,” the report stated.

“In Kiribati, only 15 per cent of children have ageappropriate books at home.

“In Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu, about half of parents are not reading books to their children.

“Analysis indicates that this type of parental stimulation has a sizeable impact on the child’s achievement.”

The report stated children who are able to read, score about half a year ahead in numeracy than those who could not.

“This comes on top of a general exposure to children’s books.

“Children living in households with five children’s books are also scoring half a year ahead in numeracy than those without any books at home.”

The World Bank recommended that a holistic approach was needed to address this challenge.

“Ministries of education must develop credible agendas for reform.

“Ministries of finance will have to allocate sufficient resources to enable implementation of the reform agenda and get stakeholders on board.

“Teachers will need new tools and enhanced support and be ready to step up to the challenge.

“Parents and caregivers will need to be engaged in, and advocate for, improved learning.

“To convince officials from the region’s finance ministries that additional resources will be used productively, education ministries must develop credible, evidence-based programs of reform.

“They will also need to improve data and information to underpin the design, implementation, and evaluation of reform initiatives.

“Better and more accessible information will also be critical to empowering parents to support teachers — and to hold them to account — in the quest for improved foundational learning for their children.”

Parents and caregivers will need to be engaged in, and advocate for, improved learning Report

–

Picture: FILE Students after school. A World Bank report states that in Pacific island countries, 36 per cent of students attend a school in which their principal reports that instruction was hindered by teacher absenteeism