As an educator from the Tembisa, Nomabli Nxumalo understands the vital part that parents play when it comes to the education of their children’s lives. But what happens when that parent has difficulty understanding what their child is taught?
“I once sent a letter home with the learners, and a parent called me to tell me that she couldn’t read the letter that was given to them so if any communication was to exchanged it was to had over the phone,” said Nombali.
Her innovative idea was to create a program where parents are trained, upskilled, and empowered on how to best assist their children with schoolwork. Then those parents can teach other parents, thereby fostering a culture of parent involvement. Nombali’s idea demonstrates that parents play a critical role in their child’s academic life, but we can’t assume parents understand how best to excel in that role.