Parents Support Quality Education in Abu Dhabi Government Schools

In January 2009, NGO Mosaica Education Abu Dhabi successfully concluded its MEPI-supported local grant project on parental engagement in education through parent-teacher councils.  In 2008, Mosaica established parent-teacher councils (PTCs) in six schools in Abu Dhabi, and offered capacity building workshops for the parents and teachers in the participating schools.  The training workshops focused on empowerment, effective meeting strategies, meeting protocols, and project sustainability and concluded with a best practices manual for use by PTCs in documenting meetings and implementing their action plans for enhanced parent-teacher involvement. 

Each of the six Abu Dhabi schools now has a functional PTC, due to the training and guidance of Mosaica, and the determination and dedication of parents and teachers.  Within class support groups, parents have become active members of the school community and are enjoying the new connection with their children.  According to Mosaica, parents are able to assist in framing and communicating significant decisions affecting the school’s organization and instructional program.  They are taking lead roles in the establishment of school projects, and mothers especially are participating in public functions. “There was a marked increase in parent participation in the school, and an atmosphere of inclusiveness and increased open communications," commented Alison Harely, School Management Advisor at Mosaica and coordinator of the MEPI-sponsored PTC project.  This fresh partnership between parents and school officials and staff will have the long term effect of producing well-educated confident youth, ready to engage in the democratic growth of their country.