A parent does not need to know every answer in a textbook to help a child learn. Listening to a story, asking about a school lesson, or making time for homework can give a child valuable support. In Afghan homes, where families may face financial pressure, limited space, and interrupted schooling, these everyday actions offer practical ways to keep children engaged in education.
Parents should not be expected to replace trained teachers. Schools remain responsible for providing good teaching, and children need equal access to formal education. Families can, however, strengthen what happens in the classroom by showing interest, encouraging questions, and helping children develop steady learning habits. This partnership works best when schools understand parents’ circumstances and offer guidance they can realistically use.
Some parents hesitate to help because they did not attend school themselves. They may believe that education is entirely the teacher’s responsibility or feel embarrassed when they cannot read their child’s homework. Schools should make clear that limited schooling does not prevent a parent from being a useful learning partner. A mother can ask her child to explain a picture. A father can invite a child to count objects or describe something learned that day. A grandparent can tell a story and ask what the child thinks about it.
UNICEF identifies storytelling, singing, playing, reading, counting, and drawing as activities that support young children’s learning and readiness for school. These activities provide a useful starting point for families because many require little equipment. They also allow adults with different levels of education to participate.
Afghan families can build on the languages and knowledge already present in their homes. Stories in Dari, Pashto, or another home language give children opportunities to listen carefully, explain ideas, and learn unfamiliar words. After telling a story, an adult might ask why a character made a particular choice. The discussion should welcome different answers rather than become another test.
Daily tasks can also provide opportunities to practice mathematics. A child might count cups before a meal, compare quantities while cooking, or work out change during a shopping trip with an adult. These examples connect numbers with familiar experiences. Adults should keep the activities suitable for the child’s age and allow mistakes without ridicule.
A regular routine can make this support easier to maintain. Families could agree on a short period for reading, homework, or conversation at a time that fits their responsibilities. Twenty calm minutes may be more useful than a long session filled with arguments. The routine should leave room for rest and play.
Not every family has a separate room, desk, or reliable electricity. Advice should reflect this reality. A shared corner, a small bag for school materials, and an agreed quiet period may be possible where a private study space is not. Schools should avoid suggesting that good parenting depends on buying expensive furniture, devices, or books.
How adults respond to difficulty matters as much as the study space. A child who struggles with reading needs patient attention. Calling the child lazy or comparing them with a successful sibling can turn homework into a source of shame. Parents can instead ask which part is confusing and encourage the child to explain what they understand.
Praise is most useful when it describes an effort or improvement. Saying, “You checked your answer and corrected the mistake,” gives clearer feedback than judging the child only by a mark. Parents should also recognize that progress can be uneven. A child may understand spoken explanations while finding written work difficult.
When a problem continues, communication with the teacher becomes necessary. Parents should be able to ask whether the child needs more practice, a different explanation, or further assessment. They should not be expected to identify a learning condition themselves.
Teachers can make these conversations easier by using respectful language and giving specific suggestions. Instead of telling a parent to “help more,” a teacher could suggest listening while the child reads a short passage or practicing a particular set of number skills. Brief demonstrations would help parents understand the task.
UNICEF Afghanistan describes working with parents, community members, children, and School Management Shuras to improve community school management. Such cooperation can also help schools understand barriers at home. Meetings should provide space for parents to speak, including those who are less confident or have limited literacy.
Schools must remain careful about the demands they place on families. A parent working long hours may care deeply about education while having little available time. Poverty, illness, and household responsibilities cannot be solved through reminders to work harder. Practical support, such as learning materials or referrals to available assistance, may be needed alongside advice.
Responsibility should also be shared fairly within the household. Fathers, mothers, grandparents, and other trusted caregivers can contribute according to their time and ability. Older siblings may occasionally help, but they should retain time for their own education and rest. Girls and boys deserve the same encouragement and opportunity to learn.
For Afghan girls excluded from further schooling, family support can help preserve learning and motivation. It cannot provide an equal substitute for access to recognized secondary and higher education. Parents should be supported in valuing their daughters’ education, while the wider barriers preventing girls from attending must be addressed.
Technology may offer additional materials, but it should remain optional. Short audio lessons or downloaded stories can be useful where a phone is available. Printed books, conversation, and simple games remain valuable where devices or internet access are limited. Teachers should offer alternatives so that children are not excluded because their families cannot afford data.
A school could begin a parent partnership program with one practical activity each week. Teachers might demonstrate a reading exercise, send a simple instruction sheet, or discuss an activity during a brief meeting. Parents could then explain what worked and what proved difficult. Their feedback should shape the next activity.
Success would be visible through children’s experience. Are they more willing to ask questions? Can they explain a lesson more clearly? Do parents know whom to contact when difficulties arise? These questions are more useful than counting how many instructions a school distributed.
Conclusion
Parents can support learning through attention, conversation, simple activities, and realistic routines. Their contribution does not depend on having advanced education or expensive materials. Schools should make this role clear and provide guidance that respects families’ time, language, and resources.
A practical partnership would begin with small activities, regular communication, and a calm response to mistakes. Children who need further help should receive it, and every child should have access to formal schooling. Afghan homes can strengthen learning when families receive support themselves and have a meaningful voice in their children’s education.
Author: Mohammad Sadeq Hassani
References
UNICEF. (n.d.). Home environment.
https://data.unicef.org/topic/early-childhood-development/home-environment/
UNICEF Afghanistan. (n.d.). Education.
https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/education
UNICEF. (n.d.). Parental engagement.
https://www.unicef.org/flnhub/parental-engagement