Abstracts Education

Parental involvement in academic and non academic activities in a secondary school in Cleremont : a case study.

by Thulisile. Mthembu

This study investigated the nature and level of parental involvement in academic and non academic activities in a secondary school in a disadvantaged township in Durban. The review of literature identified aspect of parent-educator relationships which should be developed to facilitate learner's success.It also included models of parental involvement, levels of parental involvement, role of parents in their children's education as well as barriers which affect parental involvement. The school with poor academic results is, among other factors, characterised by minimal level of involving parents in their children's education. To maximise parental involvement parents and educators should substitute the attitude ·of blaming each other, by the idea of coming together in the interests of the learners. This joint effort should also improve the schools academic results. One secondary school was used as a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with educators, parents and learners. Other information was taken from the departmental reports, Daily News paper, information from one of the school events speech context and the supervising manager of the school. Parents from this disadvantaged community tend to perceive educators as professionals who know everything. Educators and parents are willing to be partners but they do not know how to initiate and sustain this relationship. Perceived barriers to parental involvement are illiteracy, unemployment, ignorance and transport problems.Some parents participate at the governing body level, while most parents are inactive. Improved communication between parents and school personnel seems to be essential to achieve more parental involvement. Educators need staff development to equip themselves for this task. Workshops could be used to inform parents of their rights to services and resources. Together parents and educators could develop strategies to use the school for the benefit of the entire community.