Influences Of Parental Involvement On Student’s Academic Performance In Community Secondary School In Tanzania: A Case Of Namtumbo District

ABSTRACT

The study focussed on the understanding of head of schools’ experiences on the influences of parental involvement on students’ academic performance in community secondary schools in Namtumbo District. The study used qualitative research approach under the phenomenology study design. Data was collected using in-depth interviews from five head of schools in five selected community secondary schools. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, verbatim and analysed systematically. Basing on the head of schools’ experiences, head of schools perceived that the major influences on the parental involvement on students’ academic performance in community secondary schools were; economic influences, cultural influences, educational influences and political influences which influenced parents to involve on students’ academic performance in community secondary schools. Additionally, the findings revealed that parents’ educational background was perceived as one of the factors for parents’ minimal participation of the education of their children. The head of schools further perceived marginal participation of parents to be simply a result of irresponsibility towards school academic activities of their children. The head of schools had a belief that parental involvement greatly influences the academic performance of students in community secondary schools. Since the parental involvement in community secondary schools is seen as pivotal organ in promoting academic performance, head of schools were in view that if parents would strongly give cooperation and effectively make follow up of their children’s’ school academic progress, the students’ academic performance in community secondary schools would have been raised significantly. Basing on findings, the study concludes by demonstrating a significant positive relationship between parents’ participation and academic performance of students in community secondary schools.