The Influence of Parental Involvement on Quality Education in Public Secondary Schools: Meru District Council, Arusha Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Parental involvement is an important component of quality education because support provided at home and collaboration with schools can strengthen students’ learning, motivation, discipline, and academic progress. This study examined the influence of parental involvement on the enhancement of quality education in public secondary schools in Meru District Council, Arusha Region, Tanzania. Guided by Social Development Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, the study employed a mixed-methods approach with a convergent parallel design. A sample of 100 participants was selected from a population of 43,078 using simple random, stratified, and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to teachers and students, interviews with school and education stakeholders, and document review. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 26, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Instrument validity was established through expert review and a pilot study, and reliability was confirmed by a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.813. The findings showed that parental involvement occurred through the provision of essential learning materials, communication with teachers, financial contributions supporting continuous learning, motivation of students, monitoring of academic progress, attendance at school meetings, participation in school development activities, responses to teachers’ feedback, school visits, and homework supervision. Provision of learning materials and communication with teachers received the highest mean ratings, whereas regular homework supervision received the lowest. The study concludes that cooperation between parents and schools contributes to the support available to students in both home and school environments. Schools should strengthen structured communication and collaboration with parents and provide practical guidance on supporting learning at home.