International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue XI, November 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
John Tenha
Faculty of Education, Zimbabwe Open University, P. O. Box MP 1119, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
Abstract: The research study examined the level of parental participation and its impact on the academic achievement of ECD learners. The qualitative research approach and the case study research design were utilized to gather data from one research site, the school head, teacher in charge (TIC) and two parents whose children were ECD learners. Purposive sampling was done to come up with the four participants. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were the research instruments that were used to collect data. The results from the study provide schools with knowledge on how to serve parents and in addition to close the gap in communication links between home and school. The results indicated that there was a relationship between parents’ participation in their children’s education and their academic performance. ECD learners who got parental support exhibited high academic performance whereas those who lacked parental support had low performance. Schools must encourage parental involvement in the education of their children through varied activities such as communicating between the home and school, learning at home, volunteering and participation in decision making.
Key terms: Early Childhood Development, Parental Involvement, Impact, Academic Performance
I. INTRODUCTION
More children in Zimbabwe now attend Early Childhood Development learning than ever before because of the government’s policy which instructed schools to have ECD classes at each primary school. This means that parents now pay fees for their children from ECD level up to Grade Seven as compared to the past where most children joined the primary school level at grade one stage. This calls for high parental involvement in children’s learning particularly at the ECD level which is the children’s entry point to formal schooling. Durisic and Bunijevac’s (2017) argue that such early stages of children’s learning need strong academic support from their parents. Furthermore, research on effective schools show that they have a strong and positive school-home relationship.
Manhall Primary school in Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe has implemented the government policy and has enrolled children to ECD classes. However, the level of parental involvement at Manhall Primary School is questionable, even though scholars recommend parental involvement in the education of Early Childhood Development learners for high academic achievement by the learners. Voorhis et al. (2013 p. iii) advocate that, “Family involvement is important for young children’s literacy and math skills. The