Church schools urged to get parents more involved

The president of the Association of Parents of Children in Church Schools, Mariella Grech, has urged heads to open their arms to parents who would like to become more involved in their children's school.

"Many parents would be willing to give a bigger contribution to the school in some way and to learn more about how to promote their children's education, but they have to be encouraged and made to feel welcome. If parents are asked, they will come forward," said Mrs Grech.

She was speaking to The Times ahead of the new association's first event, a seminar on the role of parents in Church schools to be held next week.

She said the level of parent participation varied widely among Malta's 60 Church schools. Some had a strong PTA movement and organised many events aimed at pulling in the parents. A few heads even practised an open-door policy towards the parents.

Others, however, were not so comfortable with the idea of parent participation or could even be suspicious if parents expressed too deep an interest in getting involved.

This resistance might sometimes be justified, she said. Perhaps some parents were too pushy, and the recent history of Church schools in Malta still hung heavy.

However, parents generally meant well and on occasion were even ahead of the school in their thinking. She cited one example of how parents had clamoured for a long time - to no avail - about the need for one particular school to introduce more sport and art, only for the school to eventually capitulate and accept that these activities would be a good thing.

Another school was more forward thinking, and roped some parents in to obtain quotations and assist in the purchase of some equipment. "Many parents could contribute a lot through their particular expertise," said Mrs Grech. "Another way they could do so, for example, is to help schools and students build a stronger link with the world of work."

Of course, it was up to parents too to come forward and be willing to participate, and Mrs Grech hoped that activities such as the upcoming seminar would help to change the mentality, where needed, of both school administrations and parents.

She emphasised that the association, which was only set up early this summer, was not a pressure group, and neither was it there to replace Parent-Teacher Associations. "Our intention is to support parents, and the reason there are no teachers on the association is to allow parents to relate to each other comfortably on the same level. Associations like this exist all over the world."

One of the association's aims (see box) is to promote the Christian values that children receive in the schools. Asked why the need for this objective was seen, given that the schools are run by the Church itself, Mrs Grech said that with having to employ more lay teachers, the schools were inevitably becoming more secular, and she also noted that at least in one school that she knew of, Mass tended to be celebrated less often than in her days as a student.

"We see one of our roles to be making sure that Christian values and a caring, family atmosphere are maintained in the schools."

The seminar will be held on November 16 from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the New Dolmen Hotel in Qawra. Among the topics will be the law and parent participation; the meaning of Catholic education; how parents can prepare their children for learning; helping children use the internet; and parents' vision for their children in Church schools.

Entrance is free and all parents and educators are invited to attend. Tickets can be obtained at the door but places can be booked by calling 2590603 or 21317817.

Association's aims

1. To bring together parents of children attending Church schools.

2. To promote the Christian values that children receive in Church schools.

3. To develop and cultivate the partnership between parents, administrators, teachers and pupils so that the educational endeavour is strengthened and bears the desired results.

4. To promote and safeguard the rights of all children attending Church schools.

5. To provide a forum that promotes discussion and facilitates solutions to problems and other challenges facing Church schools.

6. To give its fair share in the full development of education of their children in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church, even in the interest of the Maltese family.

7. To support the charisma of the founding congregation of each of the Church schools.

8. To safeguard and enhance the character, identity and autonomy of each of the Church schools.