Prosiding Seminar Nasional FIP 2020 Halaman: 312 - 327 ISBN 978-602-50898-7-9 THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN EDUCATIONAL CHANGE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EDUCATIONSYSTEM IN MALAYSIA CHEOW LE YI MOHD IZHAM BIN HJ. MOHD HAMZAH Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia E-mail: [email protected] Abstract This concept paper aims to identify the role of parents in educational change. Parental involvement in the school should be increased as it can affect student achievement and boost school excellence. Reforms and changes in schools cannot be implemented effectively and completely without the support of parents. The findings of previous studies found that elements such as demographics and social background of parents were found to affect parental involvement in school. In addition, the results of previous studies also show that the formation of parents' identities as partners and the practice of creating space for parents greatly encourage them to be actively involved.However, research shows that parental involvement in schools across Malaysia has not yet reached a proud level. This concept paper has implications for policy, training, the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE), administrators and teachers in terms of recognizing the identity of parents as partners who can contribute to the school, adopt an open door policy, and promote openness through creating space and various forms of activities to encourage parental participation. In conclusion, the emphasis on parental involvement as a core feature is very important because it can contribute to the effectiveness of the school management. Keywords: parental involvement, educational change,Malaysian education system ​ According to Mohammed Sani Ibrahim and on increasing factors within the school, such as MohdIzhamMohdHamzah (2012), change is teaching and student achievement, but ignore considered as something dynamic and involves a external influences such as racial structure, process of continuous development and growth in community and poverty. This has resulted in reorganization as a reaction to satisfy needs. unsatisfactory reforms in schools. Lubienski et al. Accordingly, changes in the school context will be (2012) explained that parents should be given the successful if they match or fit with existing school opportunity to participate in the school reform practices, are understood and need to be effectively process. Furthermore, Lubienski et al. (2012) disseminated, can be tried and revised, involve support that school organizations should create members in observation and improve existing opportunities for parents to learn as well as practices. In general, changes in education are building social participation as well to cultivate intended to help schools to achieve their goals stronger social trust among members of different more effectively by replacing the structure of a communities, including administrators, teachers, program or practice with something better than parents and students. Matthews (1996) in Green & before Gooden (2014) also mentioned that the (MohdIzhamMohdHamzah&NorzainiAzman, administrative steps taken by President Obama to ​ 2009). develop education in a community-based context ​ Meanwhile, Green & Gooden (2014) states had raised awareness that school reform should that most school changes and reforms are centered 312 Prosiding Seminar Nasional FIP 2020 Halaman: 312 - 327 ISBN 978-602-50898-7-9 start from within the community and also with the on The Four Framework Leadership Theory in community. Bolman and Deal (1984) areStructural, Human, Previous studies have shown that social trust Political And Symbolic. The structural framework among teachers, parents and school administrators emphasizes purpose and efficiency. Structural is a key to school reform and able to enhance leaders operate by setting clear goals and trying to routine work in schools (Bryk& Schneider, 2003). solve organizational problems with new policies ​ ​ Desimone et al. (2000) explained that many school and regulations through restructuring. The human successes came from parental involvement and new resource framework focuses on human needs and initiatives would not be successful without their assumes that organizations that meet basic needs support. Meanwhile, Whitbread et al. (2007) stated will function better. Human resource leaders value that successful parent-professional collaboration relationships and feelings. They tend to define can improve student achievement, yet many problems individually or interpersonal and find parents and professionals need appropriate training ways to adapt the organization to people or vice to develop the skills needed to form effective versa. On the other hand, the political framework relationships. Bryk and Schneider (2003) also assumes that an organization is a coalition of report that when school professionals trust each individuals and interest groups competing for other and get support from parents, they will feel resource shortages. There are constant differences more comfortable with the implementation of new in the values and beliefs of groups and individuals ​​ practices or changes within the school. Sanders and these differences cause conflict. Political (2009) emphasizes that collaboration between leaders always build their network, form coalitions, family and community with the school acts as an build power bases, bargain, and compromise. The important school reform strategy. symbolic framework is seen through the In conclusion, the role played by parents is development of symbols and culture in very important in implementing change and reform organizations that shape human behavior and to of education.Any transformation action taken, create a shared mission and common identity. whether by the government or the school,should Symbolic leaders will instill enthusiasm and acquire consent and support from parents in the commitment through charisma and drama. first place. Accordingly, smart cooperation The Four Frames Leadership Model (1991) is between families and schools should be created as often used to understand an organization as well as an effective strategy that can build community and to adopt an appropriate style of thinking and theory national excellence in the future (Fatimah Abdullah based on the present situation. Bolman and Deal ​ et al., 2017). (2003) believe that leaders will use thought and ​ theory perspectives in one of four types of frameworks in organizational decision-making and Theory & Model problem-solving processes. This is because An organizational model is important because organizational problems cannot be seen and it can guide us to deal with a situation in the explored from a single point of view and theory. In organization, as well as to identify ways to short, problem solving cannot be done with just communicate and take appropriate action on the one approach. Instead, various theoretical actions particular situation (Mohammed Sani Ibrahim ​ and perspectives should be used to solve and &MohdIzhamMohdHamzah, 2012). Hence, the ​ overcome organizational management problems Four Frame Model in the four-framework and solutions (Noor HabibahKaderan, 2017; Tan ​ leadership theory of Bolman and Deal (1984) is et al., 2015). For example, the framework of ​ referred in this study. The four frameworks based political leadership could be implemented by 313 Prosiding Seminar Nasional FIP 2020 Halaman: 312 - 327 ISBN 978-602-50898-7-9 school administrators to build and establish harmonious, knowledgeable society in achieving a relationships with parents and the local community balanced development of human capital. Parental to solve financial problems. For instance, donating involvement also plays an important role in the for school funds and funding co-curricular educational process in terms of providing interest activities. and support to children's learning at home, which Daft (1999) makes the assumption that every in turn brings a positive influence on their perspective of thinking and framework should be achievement in school (Skaliotis, 2010). Parents ​ ​ practiced according to the life span of the who paid enough attention and poured full love to organization which is likened to a “ladder”. In their children were able to shape the lives of order to encourage parental involvement in children in the future (Skaliotis, 2010; ZulkifliAbd ​ schools, school administrators need to adopt a Hamid et al., 2011). This argument is also ​ structural framework at an early stage to build supported by the study of ShahidaHassim et al. strong organizational structure and foundations for (2012) who showed that parents should be more the establishment of Parents’ Association through concerned about their participation in every action effective management (Bolman & Deal, 1991). and activity of children because the outcome of ​ ​ Once the organizational management foundation child achievement is determined by the is strengthened, at the second level, school effectiveness of parental involvement. administrators can adopt a human resource A positive family environment as well as good framework in an effort to help build parental communication between parents, teachers and identity through recognizing and appreciating schools could produce better child their contributions to school development. Next, a development,personality and achievement (Irma ​ political framework can be used to resolve YantiMahamud, 2017; Irma YantiMahamud et al., conflicts that occur. For example, school 2018). Efforts taken to build the success of children ​ administrators