CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the problem
On an international scale, parental involvement in school has long been heralded as an important and
positive variable on children’s academic and social emotional development. From an ecological
framework, reciprocal positive interaction between these two key socialize sphere-family and school
contribute positively to a child’s social emotional and cognitive development (Bronfenbrenner, 1987).
Empirical findings have demonstrated a positive association between parental involvement in education
and academic achievement (Perez Sanchez et al, 2013; Tarraga et al, 2017), improving children’s self-
esteem and their academic performance (Garbacz et al, 2017) as well as school retention and
attendance (Ross, 2016).
Parent-school partnership allows for the conceptualization of roles and relationships and the impact on
the development of children in a broader way (Christenson and Reschly, 2010). From this approach,
families and schools are the main action in the construction of their roles and forms of involvement,
generating new and varied actions to the specific educational context. The main findings in the family-
school field show a positive influence of this partnership, contributing to academic achievement and
performance, among other positive consequences (Eptein and Sander, 2000; Hotz and Pantano, 2015;
Sebastian et al, 2017).
Thus, this study will seek to advance the analysis of the effects of parental involvements in public ECDE
schools on the academic achievement of learners in Teso North Sub County. The study will aim to
analyse how different parental involvement profiles (based on the main forms of parental involvement
identified) influence children’s academic achievement.
Parental involvement can take a wide variety of forms. These include;
i. Communication between family and school.
ii. Supporting learning activities at home.
iii. Involvement in school activities.
1.1 Statement of the problem
Institutions are established to achieve specific aims. In order for this to be possible as far as learners’
academic performance is concerned, every school has Parents’ Association (PA) which is responsible for
supporting the school towards the set goals.
Based on the foregoing background to the study, the major task of the study is the effects of parental
involvement on academic achievement of learners in public ECDE schools in Teso North Sub County,
Busia County.
In the past two decades, Teso North Sub county has continued to lag behind compared with other sub
counties in Busia County in ECDE academic assessments.
1.2 Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study will be to investigate the effects of parental involvement on children’s
academic achievement in public ECDE schools in Teso North Sub County.
1.3 Research questions
The study will be guided by the following research questions:
a. What is the attitude towards parental involvement exhibited by selected schools?
b. Is there any significant difference between those parents involved and those less involved in
academic achievement?
c. Is there any significant barrier to parental involvement on academic achievement?
1.4 Objective of the study
This study aims at achieving the following:
i. To find out the attitude towards parental involvement on academics exhibited by selected
schools.
ii. To find out the significant difference between those parents involved in academic achievements
of their learners and those parents who are less involved.
iii. To find out the barriers to parental involvement on academic achievement.
1.5 Hypothesis of the study
The hypotheses of the study will be:
i. There is a negative attitude towards parental involvement.
ii. There is no significant difference between parents involved and those less involved in academic.
iii. There is no any barrier in parental involvement.
1.6 Limitations of the study
Financial constraints, unfamiliarity familiar with the area and time duration for the study were some of
the limitations.
1.7 Assumption of study
In the study, the following assumptions were made:
i. The head teacher had enough information about effects of parental involvement.
ii. All respondents cooperated and gave accurate and honest information.
iii. All parents are involved in the achievement of academic performance of children.
Parental Involvement
Academic achievement.
1.8 Significance of the study
The findings of the study had both theoretical and practical implications since:
The information gathered will be very useful to schools to check on the relevance of parental
engagement in academic achievement.
The study will probably provide educational stakeholders to further support schools and create
awareness to parents on their importance to academic performance of learners.
The information gathered will add to the literature for further education.
1.9.0 Theoretical framework
Effects of parental involvement have shown a consistent, positive relationship between parents’
engagement in their children’s education and student outcomes. Studies have shown that parental
involvement is associated with learners’ outcomes such as lower drop outs and truancy rate.
Kathleen v. Hoover-Dempsey and Howard M. Sandler, in article published in 1995 and 1997 argued
that parental involvement broadly includes home-based activities such as helping with homework,
discussing school events or courses. In this theory, when parents get involved, children’s schooling is
positively affected through their acquisition of knowledge, skills and an increase sense of confidence
that they can succeed in school.
1.9.1 Conceptual framework
The table chart below shows that those parents who are involved in their children’s academic
achievement have provided motivation of performance accomplishments, ensured positive learner-
teacher relationships, adequate resources and guidance and having good and close relationship with the
teachers. This resulted to excellent performance of the learners. However, learners whose parents were
less involved performed poorly due to less motivation, lack of guidance, inadequate resources and poor
learner-teacher relationship.
Parents who are high Parents who are less
involved in academic involved in academic
performance. performance.
Provide motivation and Provide less motivation
good guidance of and guidance to
performance academic
accomplishment. accomplishment.
Provide adequate Provide inadequate
resources due to resources due to less
positive attitude finance.
toward education.
Close parent-teacher Poor parent-teacher
relationship and relationship and less
academic monitoring. academic follow up.
Positive student-teacher Negative parent-teacher
relationship thus relationship and
enhances support to the support to the student.
student.
Excellent Poor performance of
performance of the the student’s
student’s academic. academic.
1.9.2 Definition of terms
1. Parental involvement- refers to participation of parents and communication involving learner’s
academic learning in school.
2. ECDE- refers to early childhood development and education.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter contains a review of literature related to the study. The chapter Is divided into four major
sections. In the first section a definition of parental involvement is given, second section contains
determinants of parental involvement. The third section discusses the various parental involvement.
Finally, a summary of the literature review is given.
2.1 Definition of parental involvement
Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, meaningful communication
involving student academic learning and other school activities.
According to Swap, 1993, students need a positive learning experience beyond school building for
instance, providing support, motivation and quality instructions.
2.2 Determination of parental involvement
Parents’ cognitions about their role have been identified as a major contributor to their willingness to
engage in supportive parenting. According to (Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler, 1997) focused on three
forms of parental cognition:
Parents’ aspiration- They are concerning about their children’s future occupation.
Self-efficacy- Parents rearing and educating their children.
Perception of the school.
2.3 Parental involvement: a summary of empirical findings
Parents and families have a major impact on the success of the process of education upbringing of
children. Involvement of parents is related to their position at home (monitoring the learning of
children), as well as participation in activities organized at school (parent-teacher conferences, volunteer
activities, various forms of parental activism, workshops and seminars for parents).
2.4 Barriers to parental involvement
Although parental involvement is recognized as being of significance in the education of children, there
remains great diversity concerning parental involvement. Williams and Sanchez (2011) identify four
areas that are barriers to parental involvement: time poverty, lack of access, lack of financial resources
and lack of awareness.
2.5 Summary of chapter
Parental involvement is the ability to create time and access learners’ performance. Parental
involvement provides an important opportunity for schools to enrich current school programs by
bringing parents into the educational process.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
This chapter will give the description of the procedures that will be used to conduct the study. It focuses
on location of study, study population, sample sampling procedures, research design, data collection,
ethical consideration, administration’s instruments and data analysis.
3.1 Location of the study
The study will be limited to only one sub county, Teso North Sub county, Busia County due to financial
constraints, being familiar to the environment and good time for the study.
3.2 Study population
The study was focused on public ECDE schools teaches, parents and head teachers in Teso North Sub
county, Busia County.
3.3 Sample and sampling procedures
Slavin (1984) observed that a study can be carried out from a carefully selected sample to represent the
entire population. A sample of twenty-five percent of the total population will be considered a good
representation. Therefore, sample forty-five of schools were sampled to represent a good
representation.
All ECDE schools in the sub county were initially categorized as public or private schools.
3.4 Research design
A descriptive survey will be adopted in conducting this study. The design was considered appropriate for
the study because according to Kothari (1985) argues that survey method is widely used to obtain data
useful in evaluating present practices and in providing basis for decisions making.
3.5 Research instruments
The main research instrument will be a questionnaire; three questionnaires for head teachers, teachers
and parents. The questionnaire will consist of fourteen statements each helping to give out the degree
of the parental involvement in academic achievement of learners.
3.6 Data collection
The researchers will get an introduction letter from Machakos Teachers’ Training College and a research
permit from the Ministry of Education, Teso North Sub County Education Office. After this, the
researcher will book an appointment with the sampled schools through respective head teachers to visit
and administer the questionnaires.
The researcher will then visit each of the schools and administered the questionnaires. The respondents
will be given instructions and assured of the confidentiality and given enough time to fill in the
questionnaires after which the researcher will collect the filled-in questionnaires.
3.7 Ethical consideration
The research instrument will be issued to the respondents that the activity was voluntary and their
confidentiality was assured to them. Clear instructions will also be given to the respondents.
3.8 Administration instruments
The researcher will start with the office of the head teacher to introduce himself. The researcher will
then explain to the head teacher the general purpose of the study and present the introduction letter
from the institution and the permit letter from the Sub County Director of Education Officer (SDEO),
Teso North Sub County. These will help to create a rapport. The researcher then briefly explains to the
head teacher the part to be played by those who will participate in the study.
Teachers and parents to participate in the study will be requested to assemble in a convenient room
where the researcher will explain of what is expected. The fourteen statements of the questionnaire will
then be explained. Each statement will have four answers out of each the head teacher, teacher or the
parent will be expected to tick against the statement.
The respondents will be given the questionnaire and left to respond individually at their convenience.
Those parents unable to write, the researcher will interpret for them the questionnaire questions and
ask them to answer where necessary for them. The researcher will later collect the duly completed
questionnaire a time convenient to all the parties involved.
3.9 Data analysis
The data from the respondents were obtained through a questionnaire. The data from the respondents
will later be quantified by having each of the items of the fourteen statements on the questionnaires
score scale of four to zero, for example, statement number five, Section A; ‘How many times do you
normally help your child to do the homework assignments?’
Always Often Occasionally Never
If the respondents marked ‘always’, then this carried a score of four; ‘often’, a score of three;
‘occasionally’, a score of two; and ‘never’, a score of one. This will apply to all positive statements. All
the negative statements will be scored negatively, for example, statement number nine, Section B;
Parent/guardian rarely attend school’ meetings.
Always Often Occasionally Never
If the respondent marked ‘always’ then this carried a score of zero; ‘often’, a score of one;
‘occasionally’, a score of two and ‘never’, a score of three. The score will then be recorded in a tabular
form to find out different benefits of parental involvement and their effects to the academic
achievements of learners.
