You are invited for the school day on Thursday from 10am.
Dear parent, thank you for the great work. You are reminded that tomorrow is class visitation day at 3pm. On Saturday, the school will be holding the parents talk. We have lined up a great panel.
Next week is sports day. On Friday, we shall hold our parents-teachers interaction event. Please come with your child. The Parents Teachers Association meeting will be held on Monday from 11am.
This Sunday, we shall be holding the school Founder’s Day. Rev Jjuuko and his wife, Lady Canon, will be leading the prayers. On Saturday, we shall be dedicating the candidates. Prayers will commence at 10am in the main hall.
On Tuesday, we shall be holding a party for all the candidates who finished their exams. Give your child Shs 10,000 for a special samosa and Shs 50,000 for a group photo. Visitation day is on Sunday for Senior Four and the week after will be our school drama day.
The weekend after will be visitation day for Senior Two students. Then Prom! If you have a child in school in greater Kampala, you have probably received all those messages or more in a single academic term.
If it is not the school sending you messages or letters about such events, it is the child asking you to attend their school assembly or parade. Times have really changed. My parents and guardians were never even once asked to come see me at a school assembly or parade.
I don’t remember them being invited to school so teachers can take them through my exercise books. In fact, during my time, if they asked you to bring your parent or guardian, you know you were in trouble.
Not these days of parents casually walking into a classroom to interact with the teachers over absolutely nothing. I mean, I am not a teacher, what am I going to do about my child’s bad handwriting?
Like knock the knuckles out? Shouldn’t that be the teacher’s responsibility to guide him on how to write better? But Kampala schools don’t want to know. They will invite you at every single opportunity for all sorts of things.
How many times should parents and guardians visit schools? How do you get involved in your child’s academics and still hold a job when every random day there is something that needs your presence?
Something as mundane as a school assembly or some drama practice. Then endless visitations. If I come to visit my child in Senior Five, why can’t I see the child in Senior One as well? But no, each class must have its visitation day.
Then some schools have more than one visitation a term. Something needs to give. Parents can’t be in schools all the time checking on this or that or attending one meeting after another.
If you live or work near some of these big schools, it is a nightmare the day the school has such events. The Uganda middle and elite class parents drive like they don’t care, creating multiple lanes everywhere. Traffic jam becomes the order of the day.
The hapless traffic cops try and then they are reminded by those breaking the rules if they know who they are dealing with.
Can’t schools think of other ways? Like allowing a parent or guardian to visit their child once a term over the weekend or any day outside class hours. This would mean no dedicated visitation days.
But you only visit once a term. Once you arrive at the gate, they check the student you have come to visit and tick off the name. You won’t be allowed to visit again unless there is a medical emergency or something similar.
There should also be a limit to how many hours a parent or guardian will spend in the school. School visitations shouldn’t be picnics where kids sit, eat some fried kitchen while a parent is playing music on a boom box.
Visit the child and leave within an hour so the kids can go back to their lives. Dedication events for candidates shouldn’t be fashion shows. I mean, why should a kid in Primary Seven have extension hairs, stilettos and flowing gowns for a prayer event?
Are candidate dedications replacing the extravagant proms? It seems to be the case. Schools should concentrate on educating the kids entrusted with them and don’t make their campuses a gathering of parents every week for stuff that don’t add much value to learners.
djjuuko@gmail.com
The writer is a communication and visibility consultant.
for all you have said i agree with you apart from the time parents should spend in school on visitation days. since we want the other events to be limited or removed, on visitation parents should be able to check the academic progress of their children, check their extracurricular activities involved and others. spending a day is not a lot to ask for.
Dear Dennis,
I hope you are well. I am writing to share a different perspective regarding the views expressed in the recent article about the frequency of school events and parental visits.
While I understand the concern about busy schedules and the logistical challenges these events can create, I believe the article overlooks some of the fundamental benefits of increased parental involvement in school life. Today’s educational landscape is different from what it was decades ago. Schools are no longer just academic spaces but also communities that recognise the value of collaboration between teachers, parents, and students.
Events such as class visitations, parent–teacher meetings, and school assemblies are not merely “random” or “mundane” engagements. They offer valuable insight into a child’s learning environment, strengths, and areas for support—information that parents often cannot access otherwise. Many families welcome opportunities to connect with teachers, ask questions, and better understand how to support their children at home.
Additionally, the notion that these events do not “add much value to learners” does not reflect what many educators and parents have experienced. A child’s academic performance and emotional well-being are often strengthened when parents show interest in their school activities. These interactions build trust, foster accountability, and create a shared sense of purpose between families and the school.
While it is fair to discuss ways to streamline communication or reduce traffic congestion on event days, proposing that parents visit only once a term or limiting their time with their children may unintentionally undermine the positive impact of family engagement. For many learners—especially younger children or those facing academic or emotional challenges—having a parent show up, even for a small event, can be deeply motivating.
I agree that balance is necessary, and schools should be mindful of parents’ responsibilities. However, I believe that dismissing these events as unnecessary or disruptive overlooks their contribution to a supportive and holistic educational experience.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this alternative viewpoint.
Warm regards,
Markus.
you hv really put it clearly, tukooye, problem is actually some parents enjoy these things and they are the one fuelling them and asking school adminstrations for these things
Very well articulated, Denis. Myco’s submission is spot-on as well. I visited my children’s school once and later decided not to continue these visits. I have explained to my children that if they do not see me at their school, it is simply because I am busy working to provide for their needs, including their school fees.
During my visit, the teacher adopted a rather lecturing tone and seemed to assume that I was uninformed. I did not bother to let her know that I hold a PhD and Post Doc, and supervise Master’s and PhD students at a highly respected university in this world.
In contrast, my wife enjoys these engagements and always looks forward to attending/participating in the school events and activities. Interestingly, when our children take part in school drama or sports, my wife is still required to pay to attend the event; and she must pay separately for each child – so, you wonder what the motivation of the school is.
Another challenge many parents face is the frequency and cost of the international school tours: Dubai, Paris, Nairobi/Mombasa, Zanzibar/Dar es Salaam, and others. These trips place a significant financial burden on families and can also affect children whose parents are unable to afford such excursions.
I believe there are several benefits to these. For instance, parents visiting their children in boarding school provides emotional support, strengthens family bonds, and helps parents monitor wellbeing, academic progress, and school conditions. Similarly, educational tours expose students to new environments and cultures, enhance their learning beyond the classroom (e.g., provide practical, real-world understanding of what they study in school). However, the financial toll they place on parents is significant.
Another possible solution would be you just not complaining, you chose the schools some bribed to get into the schools you knew what it entails….who said you have to attend all the meetings or send your kids for every foreign trip.
Just pick your battles and do like the good Proffesor and tell your children why. Let the ones that enjoy it do so.You forget that most of these schools are businesses and so have their best interests at heart.