Improving Parents’ Involvement in Distance Learning of their Children: A

NECESSITY
By Lope Adrian C. Acapulco

One of the significant statements of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) mission

is to protect the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based and complete basic
education where family and community stakeholders are actively engaged and share
responsibility in developing life-long learners. DepEd also values the importance of having a
positive relationship between the school and the parents as it encourages the organization of
Parent-Teacher Association (DepEd Order No. 54, s.2009).

According to the Child and Welfare Code of the Philippines, the child is the most
important asset of the nation, the promotion and enhancement of the child’s life and welfare
is also anchored on the moral supervision and support given by his parents or guardians. This
shows that having a positive relationship between school and home is of paramount
importance. Growing evidence of the beneficial effects of parents’ involvement on children’s
learning and school has caused policymakers, educators and educational researchers,
including this researcher, to seek ways to bolster parent involvement.

Parents’ involvement refers to a situation where parents are directly involved in the
education of their children, they involve themselves and are involved by the school and
teachers in the learning process of their children and they fulfill their duties as parents in
making sure that the learner is assisted in the process of learning as much as they possibly
can (Clinton & Hattie, 2013;324). According to Harris and Goodall (2007), parental
involvement can encompass a whole range of activities with the school while parents view it
as offering support to students.

As Covid-19 pandemic began, it has changed the landscape of education around the
world, particularly in the Philippines. A sudden shift from the traditional teaching-learning
process to distance learning modalities has been made by schools to ensure that learning must
continue under the “new normal” while ensuring the health, safety and well-being of our
learners, teachers and personnel. The delivery of basic education via distance learning
delivery modalities poses great challenges not only to teachers but to parents and learners as
well.

Based on the current situation of parents and learners in the Philippines, the learning
delivery modality that will be adopted by many schools is Modular Distance Learning.

Distance Learning refers to a learning delivery modality where a learner is given

materials or access to resources and he/she undertakes self-directed study at home or in
another venue. (DO 21, s. 2019 pp. 96). Learners engage in independent learning at home or
in any physical learning space applicable, by using learning materials that are accessible
either online, stored on CD/DVD/USB Flash drive, or in printed form. Modular Distance
Learning refers to a learning delivery that is in the form of individualized instruction where
learners use self-learning modules (SLMs) in print or digital format, whichever is applicable
in the context of the learner, with the guidance of any member of the family or other
stakeholder in the community trained to serve as learning facilitators.

Because of this set up, parents’ involvement is more relevant than before.
 Involving parents in education has been reported to yield positive outcomes in many
aspects including increased student attendance to and satisfaction with school, better
academic achievement and motivation. To have parents equally supportive of their children
will be beneficial first, to the parents who are now basically in charge in the education of
their children. It will create good communication line between the parents and teachers.
When there is a good connection with the school, parents understand the curriculum better
and the advancement of their children. This study will also be beneficial to the teachers to
improve their performance. When parents have better communication with teachers, they
learn to value the work and challenges that teachers face, which makes the teachers feel
appreciated.