At this point, when it is perfectly known that the family can act as a factor in achieving school success, it is surprising that there is no will in our country for companies to get involved in allowing mothers and fathers to attend class meetings or tutoring with their children's teacher.
It seems that although parents want to get involved, sometimes we run into the absence of a real conciliation, because within “family life” we must also understand the attention to the educational needs of the children. It is clear that children should gradually have more autonomy (also in this area); but the most appropriate thing would be that on the part of their parents the academic evolution could be monitored, with the possibility of intervening in the resolution of problems.
I say the latter because for many fathers and many mothers, attending group meetings is a waste of time: many things are talked about in a short time, and sometimes they are not productive; and others ask for tutorials to be told 'how the student is doing', it seems empty ('if looking at the report card I know how it goes')
But we also have the right to ask for a meeting so that the teacher can tell us how we could reinforce such matters at home, or to ask the English teacher if he knows summer language camps, or to warn that our son has told us that they are bothering him. in class, or to suggest another approach to conflict resolution. Why not? Do not the professionals of the education system give us advice on family education What is the problem with us trying to help?
But I stop walking through the branches and continue with my purpose. As you know a couple of months ago CONCAPA presented its second barometer, in which they detected - among other things - that many parents would like to have at least, one hour off at work per school term (for the purpose mentioned).
Very far-fetched is not the truth, because now only adults, and their performance, seem to matter to maintain the productivity of different sectors. But Will children not be adults someday? Did they not need better attention from their families to achieve their academic and work goals?
Taking into account school failure rates in Spain, and the results in international tests, it would be better for us to put some interest, and when I say 'we' I mean the whole society, not just those who are today parents of tomorrow's adults.
Surprising that we can ask permission to go to the dentist, or to the exam of the University in which we expand training, and when it comes to children ... Everything must be said: there are companies that do not put any paste, and then it is enough that the worker Present a receipt. But in other cases the mother or father does not dare to ask for it, 'as things are.'
That is why CONCAPA proposed to the Government the provision of incentives to companies, such as tax reductions or Social Security fees. At the moment it does not seem that there has been an answer, but we will be attentive.
