| Summary: | Thesis (MTech (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007. === Educators often lament the lack of parental involvement necessary to support effective
schooling. Since schools are primarily funded by the state and, in most cases, governed by
the parents, questions arise regarding the parental support that schools need and the
expectations educators have of such parental involvement. Legislation, as contained in the
South African Schools Act, 1996, stipulates the parameters of parental involvement and
authority in the governance of the school and the national Department of Education
encourages close cooperation between parents and schools.
This dissertation explores the questions surrounding parental involvement as it pertains to
the expectations of the educators. The dissension expressed by educators demand an
investigation into the functionality of the mutual support structures. In an attempt to remedy
any existent discord that may exist between the educators and parents, it is necessary to
glean responses directly from the educators to ascertain their perceptions of parental
involvement. To elicit feedback from the educators, a questionnaire was used with both closed questions
and questions which allowed for open/written responses. The questionnaire design allowed
information collection to address educator needs, educator wants and what educators are
currently getting from the parents as far as support and involvement is concerned. Educator
expectations of the most basic and necessary involvement from the parents was weighed up
with their expectations of parental involvement in a healthy educator/parent relationship and
balanced against actual and current involvement and support offered and given by the
parents.
Educators of all three schools indicated that communication ranks as the first priority to
improve parental involvement in the schools. Schools that are committed to improve or
encourage parental involvement first seek to improve the parent-educator relationships. The
areas most in need of parental support are the teaching of discipline and social skills at home
and the encouragement of learners to excel, parental aid at fundraising drives and homework
supervision. These findings support Cherian's view that parental support of the educator is
served by parental interest in the learner's education which includes offers of help to learners
who bring home school work (Cherian, 1991 :938).
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