Parental Involvement in Primary Education: A Study of Baragaon Panchayat, Boudh District, Odisha

Abstract

Background:  Parental involvement is widely recognised as an important factor in supporting children's educational development by strengthening the connection between home and school. Aim: The present study examined the level of parental involvement in the primary education of Class V students in Baragaon Panchayat, Boudh District, Odisha, with an emphasis on curricular, co-curricular, and other educational activities. Study design: Quantitative descriptive research using the survey method. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in six villages of Baragaon Panchayat, Boudh District, Odisha, during the academic session 2025–2026. Methodology: A total of 214 parents of Class V students were selected through simple random sampling. Of these, 97 parents returned complete questionnaires and were included in the final analysis (response rate: 45.3%). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 45 items (15 items each for curricular, co-curricular, and other educational activities). The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage). Results: The findings showed that parental involvement was highest in curricular activities (59.80%), followed by co-curricular activities (30.92%), while involvement in other educational activities was comparatively low (9.28%). The findings also indicated that educational background, occupational responsibilities, limited awareness, and socio-economic constraints were commonly reported barriers to parental participation. Conclusion: The study describes the pattern of parental involvement among the participating parents in the selected rural area. The findings suggest greater participation in curricular activities than in co-curricular and other educational activities and highlight the need to strengthen school–parent collaboration through regular parent–teacher meetings, awareness programmes, and community participation. Because the study is based on descriptive survey data from 97 respondents, the findings should be interpreted within the context of the study rather than as evidence of causal relationships.