Rural school principals and teachers' perception of the contribution of parental involvement in learner performance

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a need to enhance parental involvement in rural primary schools in South Africa. There is evidence in the literature that parental involvement in the learning process of learners may influence the quality of learners’ academic performance. However, the former apartheid education system in South Africa, where parents were not regarded important in education of their children has contributed in parents’ negligence of their children education. For this study, Epstein theory for parental involvement was used as a lens through which data was scrutinized. Using qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm, the study explored the rural school principals and teachers’ perceptions of the contribution of parental involvement to learner performance. A sample of three principals and six teachers were purposively selected from three rural primary school in Eastern Cape Department of Education in South Africa using case study research design. Data were collected through interviews. Data analysis for the study adopted data analysis procedures advocated by Creswell where the data was organised, read through, coded, allocated themes, interpreted and validated for the generation of theory. The principals and teachers in this study confirmed their passion to involve parents in their children’s education. However, there are problems of poor attendance and non-attendance of school activities by parents. These challenges are exacerbated by poor communication of parents with the school, poor attendance of meetings, inconsistent implementation classrooms and SGBs parental involvement policies. Consequently, the study recommends to schools to adhere to their parental involvement policies and make follow-up of the invites issued to the parents to attend school activities. It also recommends to schools to provide training to the parents regarding the importance and the benefits of their involvement in education of their children.