Best SFE Practices - Tips from Schools

Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary started a Befriender programme for parents where trained parent facilitators/parent-peer mentors are stationed at the SFE family life centre once a week to help parents with parenting and family advice. The school promotes this programme together with other SFE news in its school newsletter. Click here to see newsletter.

Read best practices from other schools below.

• Support from the Head of the school is very crucial. The principal must take a personal interest in the family welfare of the students, their parents and the school staff.

• The school must have a balanced programme such that the school, parents and the community benefit from the programme. Then it will be a win-win situation for all.

• Having a highly committed and dedicated service provider and coordinator to support the school is important in achieving the objectives of family education. They ensure that our programmes are specially tailored to suit the needs of parents, staff and pupils in the school.

• In my school, the SFE coordinator works very closely with me when it comes to planning of the programmes. We oversee how the programmes are run over the year. This close partnership is crucial in making the programme work.

• The timing and the topic of talk/seminar/discussion are important. These are the factors influencing parents' intention to participate in the SFE programmes.

• The active involvement of PSG members plays a key role in increasing the level of participation in the SFE programmes as PSG members lend great support to the organized events and activities.

• Open communication among all parties - MCYS, service providers, schools and PSGs/ parents - goes a long way in establishing a positive and lasting partnership.

• The school did a needs assessment on the parents so as to cater to the parents on the kind of programmes that will benefit them.

• Most of the programmes are conducted in both English and Mandarin to cater to both English and Chinese-speaking parents.

• Majority of the programmes are on Saturday, morning or afternoon. We also ensure that the timing of the programmes will be convenient to the different target groups. For the homemakers, it would be before school dismissal or before school commences. As for the working parents, there will be at least a workshop organised for them once a month on a Saturday.

• The teaching staff is very supportive of SFE.  They help to collect registration forms and making announcement on the SFE programmes in class and during assembly.

• There is mutual understanding between the school and the SFE coordinator in running the programme. The coordinator is also given a free-hand in using the school facilities.

• The more active parents will help to encourage and influence other parents to come for workshop. They also help to orientate the new parents in using the SFE facilities.

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