Exploring parental involvement in student’s academic achievement : a case study of public primary schools in rural Gambia

Abstract

Student academic achievement is considered the main indicator of the success of any education system. Scholars in education describe academic achievement in education as the overall progress students achieve in their educational journey. Empirical studies have found many factors that are responsible for improving the academic achievement of students in both elementary and higher education, such as teacher quality, school infrastructure, gender, students’ personality, motivation, parental involvement, etc. However, this study focuses on how parental involvement in education can contribute to the academic achievement of students in public elementary schools in rural Gambia. The researcher chooses to study this phenomenon because parents, as the first caregivers to children, have long been seen as a critical factor in enhancing children’s academic achievement, especially at the elementary level. However, in rural Gambia, the nature and the extent of PI in education remain underexplored. Therefore, this research investigates PI in rural Gambian public primary schools, focusing on the perceptions, forms, barriers, and its influence on the children’s academic success. This study employed a qualitative case study, which is grounded in the interpretive paradigm. The research data were gathered from 16 research participants-parents, teachers, school leaders, community leaders, and an education officer-through semi-structured interviews and document review. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the study data, guided by Epstein’s framework of PI and the theory of overlapping spheres of influence. The findings of this research reveal that while parents in rural Gambia are ready and willing to support the education of their children, their involvement in their children’s education is often hindered by factors such as economic hardship, low literacy level within the region, cultural norms, and limited access to school decision-making. Moreover, the findings further indicate that parents in rural Gambia are more supportive of their children's education in Islamic education, as it has to do with their faith, compared to secular education. The most common form of PI in rural Gambia was found to be home-based, while school-based involvement is limited and mostly shaped by community participation in school activities. Schools, on the other hand, also faced challenges in building a strong collaboration with the parents due to a communication gap and resource constraints. Finally, this research not only sheds light on the unique challenges and opportunities of rural education in the Gambia but also contributes useful information for stakeholders who are committed to improving the quality of education by involving parents to actively participate in education. The study offers practical policy recommendations to improve family-school collaboration to enhance the educational success of children in rural Gambian public primary schools.