Influence of parents’ involvement in school activities on students’ performance in Denominational Secondary Schools in Wakiso District

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of parents’ involvement in the school activities on students’ performance of denominational senior secondary schools in Wakiso District. The study was guided by the following objectives: To establish the school activities parents ought to get involved into. To establish how parents’ involvement in school activities impacts students school performance. To identify strategies to enhance parents’ involvement in school related activities. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design. The sample of 6 schools, 6 head teachers, 6 deputies, 20 parents, 2 school inspectors, 10 teachers, 3 officials from Kampala Arch Dioceses education secretariat, 20 students and 6 Ministry of Education officials, 5 members from Boards of Governors participated in the study. The study findings revealed that: It was revealed that there are different activities parents get involved in at school; parents attending meetings, visitation days, paying school fees, parenting, communicating with teachers, assisting students with homework, parent-teacher-meetings as well as parental provision of scholastic materials to their students. The study revealed a number of positive impacts of parental involvement on children performance and these included: increase in academic achievement and better classroom behavior. The findings revealed a number of strategies that can be embraced to enhance parents’ involvement in school related activities; embracing community partnership with the schools and frequent communication with parents. The following conclusions were made; there are different activities parents get involved in at school. There are a number of positive impacts of parental involvement on children performance. There are a number of strategies that can be embraced to enhance parents’ involvement in school related activities. The following recommendations were made; School administrators should encourage parents to get involved into their students’ school affairs to enhance their academic performance. The study findings revealed a number of positive impacts of parental involvement on students’ performance. Therefore, the study recommends that schools bring parents on board regarding school affairs a way of enhancing students’ academic performance. School administrators should use various strategies for example social media, issuing shorter and more frequent communications as a way of bringing parents into their children’s academic performance.