“If you want to measure the quality of a school, don’t start with the building or the curriculum—start with the parents.”
In many education reform discussions, we focus on teacher training, curriculum reviews, classroom infrastructure, and government policies. These are all undeniably important. Yet, there’s a quieter, often underestimated force shaping school quality—parents.
Particularly at the basic school level, where foundational skills and character are formed, the impact of parenting cannot be overstated. A school is not just a collection of classrooms and staff; it is a community ecosystem, and at the heart of this ecosystem are families. When schools struggle, it is rarely just about weak leadership or inadequate resources. Sometimes, it is the absence of engaged, responsible, and value-conscious parents.
The Myth of “The School Will Fix It”
We’ve adopted a flawed societal expectation: that schools can raise children. Parents drop off their children at the school gate—sometimes literally and emotionally—and assume that the teachers will not only educate them but also instill values, discipline, ambition, and manners.
But schools were never designed to replace the home. They are a complement. When parents are disengaged, disrespectful, inconsistent, or absent in a child’s educational life, the school becomes a lone soldier in a battle that requires a whole army.
Five Ways Parents Shape School Quality
1. Value Transmission
Children mirror what they see at home. When a parent values learning, punctuality, respect, and integrity, it is often reflected in the child. A school with many such children quickly becomes a school where academic and behavioral standards are naturally high.
2. Discipline Backing
No matter how structured a school is, it cannot successfully discipline a child whose parents undermine every corrective action. A strong school-parent partnership ensures that the same standards are upheld at home and in school.
3. Parental Involvement
Schools with high parental participation in PTA meetings, volunteerism, home-based support, and school events tend to be more effective. These schools evolve faster, communicate better, and feel more like communities.
4. Financial Commitment and Prioritization
Basic schools depend on timely fee payments, resource contributions, and parent-led initiatives to function well—especially in contexts where state support is minimal. When parents consistently under-prioritize their children’s education financially, the school’s progress stalls.
5. Cultural Tone
Parents help set the culture of a school. Are parents respectful or entitled? Do they spread gossip or encourage solutions? Do they model collaboration or hostility toward staff? A school’s atmosphere is often a reflection of the collective spirit of its parent body.
A Thought Experiment
Imagine two schools. Both have similar infrastructure and teachers. But in one, parents attend meetings, follow up on homework, read notices, pay fees on time, reinforce school values at home, and provide encouragement. In the other, parents are frequently absent, quarrel with staff, ignore communications, delay payments, and spoil disciplinary efforts.
Now ask yourself—which school would perform better? Which one would teachers be more committed to? Which one would attract better students and staff? The answer is obvious.
When Parents Lead, Schools Soar
Some of the world’s best schools are not defined by marble walls or digital whiteboards—they are defined by strong parent-school partnerships. When parents see the school as an extension of their home and their role as educators continues beyond drop-off, transformation happens.
This is not to say schools should abdicate their responsibilities or place blame on parents. But it is a reminder that no school can rise above the quality of its community, and at the center of that community are parents.
What Should Change?
• Parent Education: Schools should invest in educating parents—through regular seminars, reading clubs, and training—on how to support learning at home and be effective partners.
• Parent Codes of Conduct: Just as students have rules, schools can benefit from clear expectations for parental behavior and engagement.
• Celebrate Model Parents: Recognizing and rewarding parents who consistently support the school sends a signal that their contributions matter.
• Feedback Loops: Schools must build systems that allow parents to contribute ideas—not just complaints—and co-own the direction of the school.
Conclusion: The Mirror We Must Face
Basic schools, especially private ones, are under increasing pressure to prove their worth. Yet, much of that worth is tied to the quality of families that walk through their gates. A school that lacks supportive parents will find itself swimming upstream no matter how visionary its leadership is.
So the next time we ask why a school isn’t doing well, perhaps we should ask another question: What kind of parents does this school have?
Because if the home is broken, no classroom can fully fix it.
By Patrick Apea-Danquah
Deputy Director
Institute for Education Studies
