Factors and Solutions on Low Attendance Rate of Parents to Parent-Teacher's Conference (PTC) of GJCSHS: Basis for PTC Communication Management System

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) for SY 2017-2018 was attended by only 30 out of 320 (9.38%) expected parents. This study aimed to address the low attendance rate of parents through a developed PTC communication management system in GJCSHS.

METHODS

The quantitative descriptive method used a survey questionnaire. The samples consisted of 30 parents/guardians’ attendees during the 1st PTC for SY 2017-2018. They were interviewed informally on their reasons and suggestions for not attending the school PTC, followed by constructing survey questionnaires, administration and focus group discussion.

RESULTS

Factors of parents for not attending the PTC were as follows: conflict of time schedule dueto work; forgot to give/lost the letter by the student; the agenda of the meeting were not clearly stated in the letter; and no feedback mechanism was executed. Different suggestions were also stressed by parents such as: give communication letter with complete information one week before the meeting; posting of meeting in Parent-teacher group in FB; shortened time of meeting; give recognition to actively participating parents; and conduct home visitation campaign.

DISCUSSIONS

Proposed communication management system consisted of the following: creation and distribution of school-based calendar of activities (SBCOA) thru flyers given to parents; posted in the parents FB group and in other social media; information dissemination and participation campaign (IDPC) thru a communication letter of invitation in Filipino and English with agenda, schedule, type/kind of participation and reply slip; and lastly, Parent-Teachers' communication and monitoring system (PTCMS) involved the monitoring of covenant letter, waiver, returned reply slip, logbook, schedule visit or any form of feedback mechanism. The Parent-teachers conference communication management system (PTCCMS) handbook was developed as the final output which served as guide.