A model for parent involvement in disadvantaged South African schools
Abstract
As societies developed, the demand and need for properly educated people increased and educators gradually replaced parents. In this process the weakness of the home/parents were replaced by the strengths of the school/educator, while the strengths of the home/parents were lost. This research suggests that positive parent involvement and partnership with schools is a prerequisite of effective schooling and that co-operation between home and school can raise educational achievement. This study was undertaken by means of literature review, quantitative and qualitative investigations in order to: provide a thorough background to the role and place of parents in general and within disadvantaged communities in particular, by studying models and practices of parent involvement in education as it is presently manifested in various urban and disadvantaged communities in the world;
examine educational provision and parent involvement in disadvantaged communities in South African Schools and to exclude external factors which impinge on effective educational provision for this group;
investigate the state of affairs regarding parent involvement in disadvantaged communities by means of quantitative and qualitative study in order to extend the body of knowledge concerning parent involvement in disadvantaged South African Schools, and to formulate a suitable effective model for parent involvement in order to empower the milieu-deprived parent, educators and learners. Chapter 1 deals with problem statement, aims of the research, clarification of concepts and the methods employed in achieving the purpose of the study. This includes a discussion of the population and sample used for the empirical research and an outline of the chapters. Chapter 2 highlights the nature and scope of parent involvement in education, fundamental and educational grounds for parent involvement were discussed, models of parent involvement were identified and discussed, advantages and disadvantages of parent involvement were mentioned, and ways in which parents become involved in education of their children were discussed. In Chapter 3, the nature of disadvantaged Schools in South Africa was discussed and the poor socio -economic position of parents in disadvantaged rural areas was also discussed. The qualitative and quantitative research design, administrative procedures, population and random sampling as well as statistical techniques were discussed in Chapter 4. The duly completed questionnaires returned by educators and parents of the children of the selected schools as respondents were empirically analyzed, and the qualitative research data was collected by means of observations and an in-depth individual and focus group interviews was analyzed in Chapter 5 and presented a background data on the informants and the context in which this research takes place. In Chapter 6, the information gathered from literature review, the quantitative and qualitative data were used to develop a model and strategy for the implementation of a model in disadvantaged rural community South African schools. The last chapter, Chapter 7, throws light on the summary of all the chapters, research findings and recommendations based on the research findings derived from the previous chapters, as well as final remarks. This implies that all relevant issues raised in all chapters are summarized and recommendations are also made.
Collections
- Education [1692]