WhatsApp groups can spiral into outlets for complaints, misunderstandings, and off-topic discussions, turning what should be a helpful tool into a source of frustration. Some parents in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) have noted that this issue also affects school WhatsApp groups.

While most parents agree that WhatsApp groups are helpful for quick and efficient communication about school events, assignments, and important notices, they also point out that these groups can sometimes become inundated with irrelevant messages.

They pointed out that some parents use the group to share personal issues or grievances instead of sticking to school-related topics. These topics are often irrelevant to most members and would be better handled in direct messages.

Moralising chats

We reached out to a few parents to gauge their experiences.

Karen Carvalho, a parent at a Dubai school, said, "Sometimes parents complain. As it is, text-based digital platforms like WhatsApp can lead to misunderstandings due to a lack of tone and context. Once, I saw 50+ messages in less than one hour of a parent arguing about how to read the newsletter and how someone else should stop being condescending. Sometimes, groups can witness parents rallying against what they perceive as unfair treatment, school policies, or decisions. Therefore, in my opinion, while it's a boon, most of the time, it can be a bane more than a few times during a school year."

Beneficial for updates

Dubai resident Christine Quartier La Tente, whose daughter attends Raffles World Academy, said WhatsApp groups can be beneficial for quick updates and foster community when used appropriately.

The French expat said, "The school WhatsApp group helps, especially for working parents, because people assist each other through these groups. Parents are often bombarded with school emails, which you may or may not notice. With the school WhatsApp group, we have reminders... for... ECAs and presentations, and it helps resolve queries about homework, school apps, and many other things."

Christine added, "People are usually cautious (discussing matters). It helps keep us informed about aspects such as logistics and organisational matters. But when there are profound issues related to schools or teachers, mums also talk about it. However, I see mothers maintaining restraint largely because they may not want their statements to be used against them later by someone."

Juggling multiple groups

Bhavya Rao's two daughters attend Dubai British School. She emphasised that it becomes particularly challenging when you have more than one child - constantly balancing class updates and innumerable birthday party messages.

She said, "It's advantageous most of the time as many valuable reminders may slip a parent's mind while multi-tasking. But at the beginning of the school year, there are several coffee morning messages that, frankly, I can do without, which are not directly related to the school.

"Therefore, the class WhatsApp group's noise sometimes annoys me, particularly when I discover that the messages are irrelevant. But keeping the school group muted is not an option as you also find much useful information out there."

Parents suggest creating multiple groups to address different needs, such as for official announcements or for casual discussions, to help streamline communication.

Bhavya emphasised the importance of assigning a group admin to moderate discussions and ensure that conversations remain relevant, preventing the group from becoming chaotic.

"I recall once there was a trail of unnecessary messages... a conversation on parking during school dismissal that sparked an argument between two mothers with some mums taking sides, and things eventually getting unpleasant on the chats. Several others, like me, remained silent. So, conversations, at times, go on a tangent. However, managing the groups also, to an extent, depends on the admins, who, I think, should play a critical role in respectfully keeping the conversations under control and tempers at bay," she added.

Communicating appropriately

Meanwhile, headteachers in Dubai noted that schools have a KHDA-approved parent-school contract, which gives clear guidelines on communicating appropriately with schools.

Simon Herbert, Head of School/CEO of GEMS International School - Al Khail, said, "We have our Parent Relations Executive in many WhatsApp groups. However, teachers are not included, as our means of communicating with the school are face-to-face, email, and certain educational apps such as Managebac. WhatsApp has its uses, but our hope is that parents come directly to the school with their questions or queries when these involve their children, rather than seeking affirmation and patterns via social media."

He added, "Our school culture is built on 'Respect, Trust, and Ambition'. We therefore encourage all members of our community, including parents, to follow the first of these two very important cultural values when it comes to communication."

Principals also explained that sometimes schools create temporary WhatsApp groups with parents when a school team travels for inter-school events, as prompt updates on logistics are necessary for coordination. However, the groups are dissolved after the event.

Sangita Chima, Amity School Dubai Principal, said, "In our school, teachers are not included in the parent WhatsApp groups. Sometimes, these groups lead to information overload and informal communication, reducing professionalism. Ideally, only polite, specific communication should happen in these groups."

 - TNS