Parental roles in attending schools’ management meetings and pupils’ academic performance in Uganda

Abstract

Pupils’ Academic Performance is wanting in many primary schools in Uganda. The public primary schools in Ndorwa County, Kabale District Uganda is one of the case scenarios in perspective. This research sought views of internal and connected stakeholders regarding parents’ attendance of school administration meetings, in support of pupils’ educational performances. The study was aimed at developing a parental involvement school partnership model. The researcher used cross sectional survey design supported to collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data. A sample size of 322 was derived from a population of 2000 using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The research data was analyzed by way of frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. Qualitative data was analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The results show that students of highly involved family members in schools management meetings and functions significantly outperformed those with family members who were not involved based on scores of the PLE for class 7. Parents of low-come levels, and negative attitude towards their children’s education were the main challenge. To improve pupils’ academic performance, the research recommends that parents need to consider regular attendance of school meetings and functions. Also, the government of Uganda should create policies that ensure implementation of parental involvement welfares, building of schools, family, and community partnership programs to empower parents and support their Children’s learning. The practice of parents’ attendance in school meetings and functions in support of pupils’ studies needs to be in tandem with deliberations from the ministry of education policies, district education regulations and schools’ administration directives. Parents need to check what they aid to pupils with schools’ advice.