Do you know what kids do at school?

In the 1970s and 1980s, regular public service announcements (PSAs) went along: “It’s 9pm. Do you know where your children are?” These announcements contributed to a major pendulum shift in parenting (positively and negatively).

- Mariano Carrera

Having PSAs in the 2020s is required to create the required major shift in education to put the focus on parents' role in learning rather than just making sure their kids attend school. “Do you know what your child is doing at school?” should be the new announcement.

Speaking with lecturers from different universities and extensive reading shows that students are not learning or using resources presented to them. We, teachers and educators, have been so focused on technology, physical resources and making universities “relevant”, “comfortable”, or “safe” that actual student learning has become tertiary, especially at tertiary institutions. It's time to swing back a little or, better yet, redirect the education pendulum. It is not just a matter of learning, but also social stability and simply getting value for money.

Parents need to be involved with their kids’ learning more than just ensuring they attend the right schools. Too many times, lecturers encounter students with learning problems that can be easily addressed at home. Discipline to focus on one’s studies or get involved in learning or read given assignments are what parents fail to promote at home. However, as these problems are not addressed, lecturers are forced or resigned to delivering substandard classes to meet the majority of students’ aptitudes and abilities.