Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate the practice and challenges of parents‟
participation in their children‟s education in Jimma town primary schools. The study focused
mainly on school-parent relationship; parents‟ involvement in their children‟s education; parent
and PTA participation in school activities and their effort to support school management as
well as factors that hinder parent participation were assessed here. The research method
employed in this study was descriptive survey, and the data gathering instruments used in this
study was questionnaires and interview. The samples taken for this investigation were PTA
members, principals, teachers and students of the schools. The sample of the study: 42 PTAs,
14 principals, 77 teachers and 12 students of the selected sample schools were included. The
sampling techniques used in this research were simple random sampling technique of lottery
method were employed. The data obtained were analyzed by descriptive statistics using
frequency, percentage, mean and one way ANOVA test. The findings on the current practices
of parent participation in children‟s education revealed that the level of parent- school
relationship were rare. Meaning the participation in school meetings or school conference,
communication with school teachers and/or administrations and visiting their children‟s
learning and school activities were found rare. Parents‟ involvement in guiding, helping with
basic and supplementary learning materials, reducing work load and regular follow up of their
children education at home and at school level were varied based on their rating scale.
Similarly, participation of parents and PTA members in school management activity; such as
planning with school leaders, monitoring teaching learning process and supporting were low,
except solving school disciplinary problems and providing supportive/constructive ideas. The
main factors that hindered parents‟ involvement in schools were lack of awareness to support
their children in education, low economic background (income), time constraints as well as
weak school- parent relation which need to be strengthened in the future. This study revealed
that, parent involvement in their children‟s education is not as desired. To conclude, parent‟s
participation was mostly affected by economic and social factors. So to raise parents and PTAs
interest and capacity toward their duties and responsibilities: giving training to strength their
roles on how to help their children in education at home and at school is the most important
tasks to be accomplished
