There were 20 interviewees with equal numbers of males and females. The interviews took place in the inclusive schools. Nine of the interviewees were between 31-40 years, six were 41-50, three were 21-30 and two were 51–60. Four interviewees had a MSLC, two had GCE O Level, one had GCE A Level, and two had a certificate A 3 year qualification. There were six diploma holders, four degree holders and one person with a master’s degree (see Appendix L). Six interviewees were purposively selected from each of the three regions used for the study. Two additional interviewees were selected from the Central region for the same reason given in section 4.5.2.
6.2.1 Overview of a cross section of the interviews
The analysis is presented across all the interviews. However, to illustrate the diversity within the group, interview summaries from four parents are highlighted in Figures 6-1 to 6-4 below.
Parental expectations and how schools were helping to fulfil them
She is a female aged 21-30 with a degree. Academically, her child should be able to read, write and perform well. Socially, she should mingle with others in the school and community. Culturally, she should ‘… know the culture of the society or the
family …’.
The school is teaching her child reading and writing and ‘takes care of what the
child will need educationally to learn by focusing on only her and helping her to understand things’. Also, she takes part in ‘some school or learning decisions to improve the child and other children learning’. The school engages children in group
work through which children learn to socialise and make friends. Culturally, the school teaches children the dances, art and societal values.
How she was involved and how the school involved her in IE
On her current involvement, she reports that she supplies her child with the necessary logistics to ‘learn effectively’ and:
‘normally come to the school to enquire about my child’s well doing, how she is coping with the lessons, then during open days I come to the school to look into her books, then interact with the teachers then during PTA meetings too we discuss the welfare with the teachers’.
She is expected to go to the school to talk about her child’s educational progress, attend all school activities including PTA meetings, answer questions, provide information about her child and provide her child’s basic needs.
Describing how the school involves her in her child’s IE, she said they informed and invited her to attend school meetings, invited parents to come to the school regularly to enquire about their child’s progress, the school communicated all information about her child’s education and let her know their expectations as a parent.
She reported that she attended all school meetings (PTA meetings, open days and sporting activities). She was asked if the school engaged her in the development of IEP and setting specific educational goals for her child with SEN. She said this was not being done. She was however, willing to be involved in these, as it will help increase involvement in her child’s IE.
Additional ways she wants to be involved in her child’s inclusive education She wants to be involved in decision-making. The decisions made should be implemented in teaching and learning to enable her child ‘to perform well and fit well
in the society’. She said that PTA meetings can be a forum where parents can be
educated on PI. For a change, teachers should engage in home visits to discuss educational issues as it will be beneficial to herself and her child and she ‘will feel
more supported by the school’.
Facilitators and inhibitors to her involvement
Communication facilitated her involvement in her child’s IE and helps her know what was happening and how her child was faring. Having the opportunity to take decisions at PTA meetings showed that the school valued her contribution and used it to implement strategies that promoted the smooth running of the school. To her, these factors made it easy for her child to fit in the society.
Her non-involvement in all decisions was a challenge. She attributed this to reluctance on the school’s part or that they feel it is not part of GES procedure to involve parents in all decisions. Other challenges were, opposing views about education leading to misunderstandings and financial constrains resulting in inability to provide all her child’s needs. To overcome the challenges, she discussed them at PTA meetings and has resulted in an improvement in the way teachers talk to parents.
Parental expectations and how schools were helping to fulfil them
The interviewee was a male aged 21-30 and had a GCE ‘O’ Level qualification. Academically he wanted his child to complete JSS with certification as this would gladden him. Socially he expected his child ‘to make friends and interact with
everyone’. Culturally, ‘he should know the culture of his ethic group’, use the culture
appropriately and answer questions correctly about it.
Teachers are teaching his child well and he can read, thereby fulfilling his expectations. Socially he said:
‘well, well the school gets the children to play together, football for
example as a result they learn to interact and the group work they do in class, sitting in circles and in fours or fives also helps children take turns and accept whoever they are to work with and do same outside school, l think’.
Culturally, the school was engaging the children in cultural dances, teaching of art and culture.
How he was involved and how the school involved him in IE
According to him he supplies all his child needs to facilitate his education, attends PTA meetings when possible and monitors his child’s academic progress.
The school expects him to be part of the PTA, attend meetings and monitor his child’s progress. These he does willingly.
Describing how the school involves him in his child’s education, he said, they invite him for various meetings, encourage him to engage in school visits to talk to the teacher about the child’s progress, send him regular reports on his child’s performance, regularly communicate with him and answer all questions about his child’s education, and let him know what he should do for his child.
He said he had not attended any open days but, he had attended PTA meetings, speech days and school dramas. He had not heard of IEPs so it was briefly explained to him. He had not been involved in the development of any IEP nor was he engaged in setting specific educational goals for his child with SEN. He was however willing to be involved in them.
Additional ways he wants to be involved in his child’s inclusive education He will like to be more involved in decision-making and wants the school to educate him more about what to do for his child.
Facilitators and inhibitors to his involvement
He reported that taking part in decision-making was a facilitator and that it made him feel ‘important’ knowing his ‘views are sought.
Inability to go to school meetings due to insufficient time or work load, not being given the opportunity to take part in decisions, opposing views or desires by the parents and the school, lack of communication and when the school do not tell him all he needs to know about his child’s education were inhibitors to his involvement. He has done nothing to try and rectify the situation and is ‘hoping that things will sort
themselves out’
Parental expectations and how schools were helping to fulfil them
She was a female aged 51- 60 and had a MSLC. She expects her child to be able to read and write. Socially, she wants her child ‘to grow up to become a good adult
and a good Ghanaian and treat all people as her own self.’ Culturally, her daughter
should be respectful. To fulfil her expectations for her child she reports that:
‘The teachers are teaching the children well in all areas that is socially, academically and culturally to grow up to become a good citizen in the future. They also invite us the parents to discuss and arrive at learning decisions at meeting. My child and other children get to learn the dances and art in the country and also get to socialise through group games’.
How she was involved and how the school involved her in IE
She attends PTA meetings, school functions, goes to school to monitor her child’s progress and look through her books and discuss it with the teacher, monitors her child’s attendance, engages in volunteering and provides her child’s personal needs.
She said the school expects her to supply her child’s basic needs, continue coming to the school to monitor her child’s academic progress and provide teachers with the information they needed about her child.
She said, the school informs parents about pending activities, encourages them to attend and to come to the school to discuss their child’s welfare. The school invites individual parents for parent-teacher meetings and at times tells parents what they expect them to do for their children.
Additional ways parents want to be involved in their child’s education
She said she needs more information/education on what to do for the progressive learning of her child and how to be involved educationally. She advocated for home visits by teachers.
Facilitators and inhibitors to parental involvement
She reported that knowing that her child’s current education ‘will help her become
an independent adult and a good citizen in future’, the welcoming attitude of the
school staff and the advice and patience they have to listen to her, involvement in decision-making and the implementation of these decisions makes her feel that her contribution is valued and her help needed. Finally, communication with the teachers about her child’s education and being informed that all is well was a further facilitator to her involvement.
She had the following to say about inhibitors to her involvement:
‘… when I am so busy and I cannot make time to visit the school, or
they bring homework and me and my man do not understand and so we cannot help the child or it is French which we do not understand, or sometimes the school forget to send notice of a meeting and you do not go and they blame you for it. Sometimes too they will tell you this is school decision so what you as a parent say do not matter’.
She has done nothing to overcome the challenges as she cannot control them.
Parental expectations and how schools were helping to fulfil them
The interviewee was a male aged 31–40 with a master’s degree. Academically he expected his child to ‘excel in her studies’ and be able to read and write. Socially, she should be able to interact with people in the society. Culturally, she should know the culture of the society.
Academically the school was helping to fulfilling his expectations by teaching his child based on the curriculum. Socially he said;
‘Yes, socially I think in the school there is a lot of group work that
the students are normally involved. They play games here and there. They will work together on assignments or whatever it is and I think that is also helping the child in the social life. They also engage the children in extracurricular activities through which they socialise’.
Culturally, the school teaches Religious and Moral Education (RME) which deals with culture and societal values. The children are also taught cultural performances. How he was involved and how the school involved him in IE
He said, he provided his daughter’s basic needs, attended PTA and other meetings, monitored her school attendance and helps with homework. He said the school expects him to attend PTA meetings, school activities and support his child with school materials and her studies.
He said, the school invites him to activities which he is to attend, communicate information about the child through reports, informs parents of their expectation of them, lets parents know they are welcomed at any time to discuss their children’s education and expect parents to support the school financially.
Additional ways he wants to be involved in his child’s inclusive education He wants to be more involved in decision-making, be a member of the school board to influence decisions in parents favour, and he can assist the school to run INSET programmes for teachers provided he is informed. His opinion was parents needed
‘more education on what is expected of them and their responsibilities as far as their involvement in their children’s education was concerned’.
Facilitators and inhibitors to his involvement
Communication, welcoming attitude of staff and the physical environment were facilitators to his involvement. Communication makes him aware of school activities. His main challenge was the inability to attend school functions due to his work schedule, the imposition of decisions by the school (in his opinion, this was autocratic and unhelpful), and conflict due to opposing desires and wishes of the parents and the school. He said if he was unable to attend a school meeting his wife goes and he has raised his concerns with the head or at PTA meetings about the other issues which he says the school is ‘trying to work at it but there is more room
for improvement’.
He had the following suggestion when asked if he had something to say: ‘Ok, I will only want to suggest that if possible the school should
periodically organise some sort of workshop or seminar for parents. To educate parents on what they expect the parents to do or to be involved in the education of their children. Not just assume that parents should know these things or know that. But if they can invite us to the school and probably give us some sort of education on the extent to which they want us to be involved in the education of our children that will be very good for us’.
From the summaries of the interviews, it can be concluded that, the parents gave some similar responses (for example, see parent 4, 8 and 19 responses on academic expectations) despite the diversity in their educational level, gender and age-ranges. In the subsequent sections, the analysis of the interviews is presented thematically based on the responses of all the parents interviewed.