Parents’ role in pupils’ academic performance in Uganda

Abstract

Pupils’ Academic Performance is a challenge in public primary schools in Ndorwa County-Kabale District in Uganda. The research sought for views of different stakeholders in primary education parental roles in pupils’ learning. Specifically, how parents’ support to pupils may be a solution to poor performance of pupils from selected primary schools in Ndorwa County-Kabale District in Uganda. The study used cross-sectional survey design as the basis for collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. A sample size of 322 respondents was derived from a population of 2000 using purposive and simple random sampling. The research data got analyzed in form of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis, quotations, and thematic analysis. The results revealed that students from highly involved family members significantly outperformed those with family members who were not involved according to scores of PLE, class 7. Furthermore, parental roles had a positive relationship on pupils’ academic performance at school. The low-income levels of some parents and attitudes towards education were the main challenge. In order to reduce pupils’ poor academic performance, the study recommended that, parents’ supportive resourcefulness in conjunction with pupils’ academic performance, government of Uganda should create policies that ensure parental involvement, and community partnership programs to empower parents and support Children’s education. The practice of parents’ supportive resourcefulness in pupils’ studies needs to be in tandem with deliberations from the ministry of education policies, district education officer’s regulations and schools’ administration directives. Parents need to check their contribution to pupils with schools’ advice.