Parental Involvement and Student Retention in Universal Secondary Education Schools: A case of Mbale District, Eastern Uganda

Abstract

The study was about the relationship between parents’ involvement and students’ retention in Universal Secondary Education schools in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda. The research objectives of the study include the relationship between parents’: provision of school needs, payment of supplementary fees, and participation in school meetings and students’ retention rate. A cross sectional survey was used; adopting quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data from a sample of 196 respondents was obtained using questionnaires and interview guides which were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The results of the study showed that parents’ provision of school needs had a positive and significant relationship with students’ retention (r=0.967**, Sig=0.007); Student leave schools because parents are not able to provide for them the required school needs in terms of scholastic materials and personal effects .parents’ payment of supplementary fees had a negative but insignificant relationship with students’ retention(r=-0.116, Sig=0.750), Parents payment of supplementary fees is not a problem to students retention because they are affordable and also in the reach of most parents and parents’ participation in school meetings had a positive and significant relationship with students’ retention (r=0.967**, Sig=0.007 Most students parents do not participate in the school meeting hence a school information gap on care and support for the children, this therefore has affected students retention negatively). Of all the three aspects, no significant predictor was found for students’ retention. In conclusion, Student leave schools because parents are not able to provide for them the required school needs in terms of scholastic materials and personal effects. Besides, Parents payment of supplementary fees is not a problem to students retention because they are affordable and also in the reach of most parents. Most students’ parents do not participate in the school meeting hence a school information gap on care and support for the children; this therefore has affected student’s retention negatively). It was recommended that management, government and other stakeholders should sensitize parents about their roles, responsibilities and benefits of actively involving themselves in the academic issues of their children.