Jimmy Deenihan
Question:276 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education if she will consider changing the rules for national schools so as to put in place structures that enable formal contacts between parents and teachers.
Written Answers. - Parent-Teacher Contact.
Parents are represented on the boards of management of national schools and contacts between parents and teachers take place on an individual basis and through parent associations.
Through the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, the Government and the social partners have formally recognised the promotion of parental involvement in the education of their children as an essential strategy of education policy and practice.
As indicated in the programme, I propose to inform each national school of the need to establish an active parents' association to promote and develop effective and positive participation by parents in education at the school level. To this end, general guidelines will be drawn up in consultation with the partners in education.