Browsing by Author "Dalu, Emile"

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    Parental involvement in management of school activities and its impact on secondary school students’ academic performance in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2016) Dalu, Emile
    This study sought to investigate parental involvement in management of school activities and its impact on secondary school students’ academic performance in Iringa Municipality-Tanzania. The study specifically aimed at exploring the role of parental involvement in school management activities in influencing students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Iringa Municipality; finding out barriers preventing parents’ involvement in secondary school activities in Iringa Municipality and finding out strategies for enhancing effective parents’ involvement in secondary school management in Iringa Municipality. The study employed a qualitative research approach and was informed by a case study research design. The sample for the study involved 86 respondents. Participants of the study were selected by random and purposive sampling procedure. They included six heads of schools, 30 parents, 28 teachers, 18 students, three Ward education coordinators (WECs) and one Municipal secondary education officer (MSEO). Interview, documentary review and Focused Group Discussion (FGD) were used for data collection. The study established that students whose parents participated in both supervision of learning activities and financing school activities had a great improvement in academic performance. The supervision of learning activities at home enabled learners have, increased morale in learning, confidence, attentiveness, high retention of what was learnt at school, use time in academic activities and increased knowledge ability due to parental role in teaching at home. The findings showed that financial support from parents contributed significantly to the improvement of SAP as it enabled in the provision of teaching and learning facilities and motivation to teachers. The contributions were also used for paying salaries to extra recruited science teachers. The contributions were also used for paying salaries to extra recruited science teachers. The study found that both socio-economic and school related barriers were responsible in making parents not involved in school activities in Iringa Municipality. The socio-economic barriers included low level of income, complicated work schedules among parents, nature of the family and lack of education among the parents. The school related barriers included failure of school management to convene parent-teacher meetings, distance where schools were situated, poor attitudes to parents by heads of schools and lack of information from schools on official visit days. The study exposed strategies used to involve parents in secondary school management activities. These were communication with parents using letters and mobile phones; provision of education to parents; the use of local government authority such as Ward Education Officers (WEOs); and allowing parents and community use school infrastructure. The findings revealed that while other strategies were effective, only the use of WEOs was not effective. The use of WEOs enhanced misunderstanding with the school management and parents. Basing on these findings, the study recommended that the government should provide on time the capitation grant the amount that enables secondary schools to purchase books and other essential learning materials. However, parents who are reluctant in financing education, education should be given to them by schools. Lastly, parents should be provided training to improve their level of participation in supervision of learning activities at home.