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Whose responsibility is it?

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I have often wondered how certain schools manage particular situations, especially those to do with a child’s academic performance and behaviour. Many times, teachers bombard parents with queries about their child’s performance or latest hangout which they deem detrimental to the child’s growth with the expectation of being ‘assisted’ in their teaching role; often complaining about how unruly their wards are. They complain that a child’s performance has dropped and that he/she has suddenly started hanging out with undesirable elements, expecting the parent to step in.
I agree, communicating such observations to parents is pertinent for them to assist in the development of the child, but I should believe it is absurd to completely shift the tutorial responsibility to the parents, who have entrusted their wards to the expertise of the learning institutions- often at a very high price- who by their duty shift are admitting their incompetence to surrender a problem child back to the parents.
My belief is that parents have their part of the responsibility in bringing up the child. The learning process, just like the other developmental milestones have their own ups and downs, rebellions, resistances and level of aptitude. Every tutor, I presume, is or should be trained in all matters of imparting knowledge with or without the said hardships. Why, then do teachers give up on a child or rush to  report the child to the parents, sometimes even suggesting that a learner is not ready to sit for exams because of being playful? Who should be blamed for the lack of preparation in this case? Do parents revert to teachers in cases of a work hitch or occupational hazard or do they handle their cases in their best ability?
If I am not making sense, I urge the consideration of learning arrangements where the child is away and far from home and parents. A typical boarding scenario would entail that teachers and all minders assume full responsibility of learners with minimal interaction with parents unless a serious and grievous situation demands their presence. These would include academic slugginess, which experts are able to handle to bring a child back in the learning line or rescued from precarious and unruly acts. Unless beyond redemption, teachers assume the responsibility of the learners, to teach, correct, reprimand, guide and advise to put them in line.
I applaud those schools which take pride in the performance of their pupils not only for their progress’s sake, but for the institution’s reputation. They strive for excellence and I believe, in the process, mould their wards to the rightful expectations with little or no whining about strays. They have embraced that their occupational hazards that include peculiar behaviour that may arise from time to time and devised means of dealing with them. That is the way to go.
It’s pointless to take credit for a child’s academic excellence, but not equally take responsibility for their flaws and deem them failures. In a way, those institution that will not address the flaws are telling parents to deal with the situation as “it is your problem and your making”. That, to me is a sign of utter failure. n

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