Sistema híbrido GCHP – colectores solares

The research established that there were quite a number of factors that impacted negatively on parent involvement. The following were identified as challenges of parent involvement in this research (see Sections 2.6.1 and 4.3.4):

 Time constraints

 Poor communication between school and home  Parents` lack of interest and commitment

 Principals` limited knowledge of the concept of parent involvement  Parents` limited formal education

 Poor communication between school and home  Negative parent involvement

5.3.3.1 Time constraints

It was found that time constraints constitute a major obstacle to parent involvement. A lack of time would be especially problematic for economically disadvantaged parents because their jobs usually do not promote flexibility in terms of working hours which has become a characteristic of professional occupations. Not only did the majority of inactive parents claim that they did not attend school functions due to work commitments, they also said that they did not have time to help their children with their homework (see Sections 2.6.1 and 4.3.4.1). Of course, abstaining from assisting

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children with homework can also be linked to parents’ educational backgrounds (see Sections 4.3.4.2.3 and 5.3.3.2).

5.3.3.2 Poor communication between home and school

The poor communication between school and home was mentioned by all interview groupings: principals, SGB chairpersons, SGB parent members, active parents and inactive parents (see Section 4.3.4.1.2). This implies that improving communication between school and home should be considered very important for improving parent involvement (see Section 4.3.4.1.2).

Many active and inactive parents held the view that schools were not communicating with them effectively since they complained of not receiving school messages. Parents believed that schools had to use a variety of communication media (see Section 4.3.4.1.2).

5.3.3.3 Parent`s lack of interest and commitment

Lack of interest and commitment was found to be a significant factor that limited parent involvement (see Section 4.3.4.2.1). Principals, SGB chairpersons and SGB parent members agreed that this issue was indeed serious. Lack of interest and commitment by parents is a serious shortcoming in terms of parent involvement since it could lead to the demoralisation of fellow parents, as well as learners.

5.3.3.4 Principals` limited knowledge concerning parent involvement

From this study’s empirical research it can be concluded that principals` limited knowledge concerning the management of parent involvement is considered to impact negatively on the realisation of parent involvement. This view became apparent from opinions aired by SGB chairpersons, SGB member parents, active parents and even inactive parents. It was shown that if principals do not provide a climate conducive to parent involvement, parents would not feel free to participate in school activities (see Section 4.3.4.2.2). Dissatisfaction with management of parent involvement by principals can possibly partly be ascribed to inadequate tertiary training that Principal A underwent, or no training in parent involvement, as was the case with Principal B. Criticism iterated in terms of aspects that relate to the management of parent involvement shows that there is certainly room for improvement. Principals themselves believed that their management of parent involvement could be improved (see Section 4.3.4.2.2).

121 5.3.3.5 Parents` limited education

It was found that parents` limited education was a challenge to parent involvement at the selected schools. This was particularly relevant for inactive parents. Parents` views revealed that their limited education hindered them from being effective when it came to helping their children with school work. Some parents were very open about this aspect (see Section 4.3.4.2).

5.3.3.6 Negative parental attitudes

The view that negative attitudes were an obstacle to parent involvement was supported by principals, SGB chairpersons and SGB member parents. Parents’ negative attitudes were revealed in different ways, which even included keeping children from partaking in school functions. It was also observed that some parents left everything concerning their children`s formal education to teachers since they considered it their task. Some inactive parents did not provide their children with pens for writing since they expected the government to provide everything needed for the formal education of their children (see Section 4.3.4.2.4).

Negative attitudes experienced by inactive parents probably found expression in their decision not to attend school events which included meetings at schools and open-book days. Their excuses, such as work commitments (see Section 4.3.4.1.1), could possibly not always be true. Inactive parents did not mention financial constraints in terms of their absence from school events.

5.3.3.7 Negative teacher attitudes

As shown in Section 4.3.4.2.5, some parents considered teachers` negative attitudes to be a challenge that negatively affected their involvement with schools. They believed that teachers did not treat them with respect. Some parents even believed that teachers did not want to communicate with them concerning their children`s formal education. Teachers were considered to treat parents, who they regarded as being uneducated and incapable of being involved in learners’ formal education, with contempt The perceived negative attitudes of teachers, which made parents’ feel unworthy, were seen as the reason for not giving parents the opportunity to express their concerns regarding their children’s formal education. Principals thought that teachers’ perceived negative attitudes could be attributed to their heavy workloads. Principals also pointed out that the number of parents who teachers were supposed to accommodate was too big (see Section 4.3.4.2).

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