Honoring Parents and Guardians and their Role in their Daughters’ Education
SEGA Hosts Multiple Annual Parent Meetings
Parents play a very important role in our students’ lives. Even though most of our students live on campus for the majority of the year, teachers and administration recognize the importance of communicating with parents and actively involving parents in their daughters’ education.
Every year SEGA holds at least two parent meetings on campus for parents that live nearby in Morogoro; for families that live further away, SEGA staff travels to conduct meetings in various towns such as Iringa, Kilosa, Mpwapwa and Njombe. Some parents have to walk or bicycle long distances just to attend one of these meetings, but the meetings are always well attended.
During these meetings staff discusses projects happening at SEGA, school policies and expectations, students’ academic and emotional well-being, and the importance of parents taking an active roll in their daughters’ education. SEGA counselors also teach parents various strategies of talking to their daughters and encouraging positive habits. After the Kilosa meeting, one of the parents said, “We have understood everything that you told us, and we will work hand in hand with you to make sure that our girls are successful and that we do all we can to uplift our girls”.
Most girls travel home to spend time with their families during school breaks 3-4 times a year. Even though the students see their families irregularly, their parents are highly influential. Parents inherently and directly teach their daughters values, work ethic and life outlook. We hope the information and skills the SEGA staff gives to parents helps them better support and understand their daughters.
Despite the effort it takes to meet in person, it is apparent that the SEGA administration and students’ parents share a common goal in giving their daughters a quality education and are mutually appreciative of the work they each contribute to their daughter’s lives. During the Iringa meeting one of the parents said, “I want to cry when I think about everything that SEGA has done for my daughter. Nobody believed in us, but SEGA did and now my girl has completed her Form 4 studies, thank you”.
Special thanks to the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation for supporting our mission of better connecting families and communities to the lives of our students.