Activities of the parents' association of an elementary school in the US - Photo: BPS
USA: Parent-teacher association is active
In the United States, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) have been around since 1897 and have played a key role in making changes to educational policy, supporting programs such as school lunches and traffic safety education.
According to analysis from the nonprofit Varkey Education Foundation, PTAs are active at both the national and local levels. At the school level, PTAs can be classroom-based or school-wide and run by elected parents.
PTA has a clear organizational structure with elected leadership, typically consisting of a president, vice president, and class representatives, ensuring all parents have a voice in decisions regarding their students.
PTA members can attend meetings with the school board to discuss educational, health and safety issues to improve the quality of education and the learning environment. They also have the right to participate in school decision-making such as adjusting cell phone policies or school security issues.
European countries: parents participate in school councils
In Denmark, according to the OECD, the parent-teacher association model is also seen as a democratic right and has a major influence on educational management in schools. Parents play an important role in school decisions and often participate directly in the management board.
This model emphasizes close cooperation between parents and schools with the goal of not only supporting students but also contributing to building and managing effective schools.
In Spain, according to the OECD, parents' associations have a major say in education management. At the national level, parent associations can give their opinions on important issues related to education law.
At the local level, parents can sit on school boards and play a role in personnel decisions, including the appointment and dismissal of principals. This is one of the countries with high levels of parental involvement, which helps to increase democracy in the education system.
In France, according to the OECD, parent associations (associations de parents d'élèves) are not only active at school level but also have representation at national level. These organizations play a monitoring role and participate in policy decisions, and hold annual meetings to discuss the quality of teaching and necessary improvements in schools.
Although parent involvement at the classroom level is not high, parent associations still play an important role in promoting educational issues at the national level.
Japan: Parents' Association Organizes Many Activities
In Japan, according to the World Bank, parent-teacher associations sometimes face differing opinions about their role. Although parents are very involved in their children’s education, their participation in school activities is limited. Many parents feel uncomfortable with the multiple parent-teacher association model due to its restrictiveness and differences in educational perceptions.
Typically, the association is responsible for organizing school events such as cultural and sports festivals and family days, supporting educational activities by providing learning materials and organizing supplementary classes.
However, Japanese parents rarely have decision-making power regarding school policy. Their role is mainly to support and engage the community, rather than to be deeply involved in educational policy issues.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-dai-dien-cha-me-hoc-sinh-o-cac-nuoc-hoat-dong-manh-me-vi-sao-20241011083947046.htm
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