Project Grows and Parents' Involvementin Paps of Magsaysay National High School: An Analysis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Parental involvement has been a long-time issue on students' development, especially in school learning areas. Parents tend to neglect students' activities and participation due to personal concerns and priorities on their source of living. More than a decade has passed, records show that the parents' involvement in the different school programs, activities and projects of Magsaysay National High School is not given importance. Therefore, Project GROWS (Genuine Relationship and Opportunities with Stakeholders was conceptualized as an innovation to fully gain the participation of parents in the school for both academic and non-academic performance.

METHODS

Descriptive comparative design, survey, structured interview, and questionnaires were used in this study with 70 parents as respondents representing the seven feeder barangays of the school. A series of activities were undertaken as part of the research employing the Project GROWS such as home visitations, parental education, inviting parents to join related activities such as PTA meetings and assembly.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents(parents) are female and most of them are married, housekeepers and farmers as their occupational status and have an average number of children ranging from 3-4. The majority of them did not reach the higher forms of education, only five finished college education. The series of activities of the study found out the positive results in which participation of parents in school PAPs is very evident and significant particularly on their attendance in Brigada Eskwela, Homeroom PTA Meeting, PTA General Assembly, Parents Dialogue, Clean Act Drive, and Homeroom Projects. It further revealed that parents' profile has greatly influenced their involvement in the different school PAPs.

DISCUSSIONS

The results prove the need to employ and adopt Project GROWS in the school since it found out its effectiveness in gaining and winning supports of parents in the different school Programs, Activities and Projects. The execution of the series of activities of the innovation increases awareness and perceptions of the crucial role of parents in the school. School heads and teachers being the number one front liners in the school and community must sustain strong partnerships with the stakeholders particularly the parents for the total development and improvement of the school and in cognizance to the implementation of School-Based Management.