Parental involvement in the education of primary school children in the Makapan Stad Circuit of the former Bophuthatswana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons why the parents of primary school children in the Makapanstad Circuit of the former Bophuthatswana were not as involved in the formal education of their children as they wished to be. From a review of literature, it has been shown that parents have long been interested in the education of their children, even though their involvement has not been organised. It also became . quite clear that parental involvement in education began to be organised in the 1970's and 1980's. to work together for the benefit Parents and teachers began of the child. Parental involvement was facilitated through the formation of parent education movements, school councils, parent advisory councils, career development programmes and parent-teacher councils. Different studies have shown that there is a need for parental involvement in education since (1) parental involvement raises the academic achievement of children, (2) it improves attitudes and performance of children in the school, (3) it helps parents understand the work of the school and builds healthy and productive school-community relations. By means of an empirical investigation, carried out in the Makapanstad Circuit among the parents of Std 4 pupils and primary school principals, it could be concluded that both parents and teachers want the best possible education for their children . A lack of principals and teachers trained in involving parents

in education, ignorance and illiteracy amongst parents, the fact that both parents and teachers lack the time and t he Department of Education system of school councils, account for the lack of effective parental involvement in the education of these children.