What school governing bodies can learn from Dr. Phil.

What school governing bodies can learn from Dr. Phil.

It undoubtedly started with the best intentions. School wants to do something fun with the children and asks parents to contribute a small amount. This way, they can organize a nice outing or give a gift at Sinterklaas besides the regular curriculum.

Parents pay a few tens of euros per year and if that is not possible, there is usually a fund somewhere at school. And it must be said, our research shows that this is still how it works in many primary schools. Most parents pay no more than 50 euros and then everyone just goes on the school trip.

Secondary school

How different the picture is at secondary school. There, it has become quite normal to charge parents hundreds of euros. Voluntary? Very few parents really experience it that way. We heard the strangest examples in recent weeks. Parents who can only order school books after they have paid the parent contribution. Collection agencies that collect the voluntary contribution for the school. Letters telling parents that if they do not pay, it may be because of them that the whole class cannot go on the Rome trip. The School for Personal Education that, despite the new law, frankly informs parents that their child will be excluded if they do not pay the parent contribution.

Dependence

The costs charged to parents are so high that schools have become dependent on them for many basic things. Lockers, printing costs, bilingual lessons, extra technical education, materials, and I can go on. There is some panic now that the law says children really cannot be excluded from activities. What if parents massively decide not to pay? It would mean a big financial blow for many schools.

Research

Fortunately, I can reassure schools here. Representative research among parents shows that although they strongly support the new law, the large majority are willing to contribute something. Out of solidarity with the school, or because they want their children to have some fun extra things. Even parents who cannot easily spare the money mostly say this. That school governing bodies in secondary education find this hard to believe reveals a different problem. School governing bodies increasingly function like companies. And although some professionalization and carefulness with money is good, we must be careful not to lose something very important.

Dr. Phil

People who see education as a business quickly see parents as consumers. And parents treated like consumers will soon behave like difficult customers. ‘You teach people how to treat you,’ says America’s house psychologist, Dr. Phil. My advice to schools is: stop invoicing, collecting, and profiling. And approach parents as you would want to be approached: as people who want the best for their child and work together with the school. Maybe that will bring much more than expected and not only moneywise.