Understanding the importance of parental involvement in the education of Children at home and school: a study of Abou Lkacem Chebbi’s Primary School, Douz

Abstract

Because of the positive role of parental involvement on youth academic achievement, many parents and school teachers desire more collaboration between the family and the school. However, obstacles often arise prohibiting such positive interactions. In this study, Douz’s
inhabitants, a town situated in the south of Tunisia demonstrated their strong involvement in their children’s education by helping them with their homework. Moreover, parents and teachers at Abou Lkacem Chebbi’s Primary School completed an in-depth interview and a structured questionnaire regarding the barriers to involving parents in their children’s education. Parents and teachers identified barriers that fit into three descriptive categories: (a) time poverty/work commitments, (b) lack of communication (lack of cooperation), and (c) lack of awareness. Suggestions for decreasing barriers were also discussed. Findings suggest that taking families’ needs and sharing decision-making responsibilities into consideration during the planning phases of school-based programs and events improve parental involvement. Furthermore, results strongly revealed that giving parents more meaningful roles, keeping them informed, and presenting opportunities for them to support educational and developmental progress at home and school can be effective in increasing parental involvement among these inhabitants. Implications and recommendations for practitioners are discussed.