ROLE OF PARENTS IN THE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

This study investigated the role of parents in the educational development of the primary school child, the extent to which parents play their role and what factors militate against parental involvement. Three research questions were formulated for the study. A sample of 99 parents was drawn from all parents in Awka South. The instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. Percentages was used to answer the research questions. To validate the instruments, copies of the questionnaire were given to two lecturers in the Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education. At the end of the analysis the result showed that the roles of parents in educational development of their children in primary school are helping and monitoring their children to do their homework, making out time for their children to study, insisting their children to read their books, speaking to them on the importance of studying, monitoring their children television viewing, trusting and accepting them and checking their books after school. The study further revealed that parents are involved in the education of their children in the primary school to a great extent. Most parents help with their children’s homework and insist that their children read their books after school however few parents read to their children and listen to their children while they read. The factors that militate against the involvement of parents in their children’s education are, their job, income and uncertainty on how to contribute in their children study, the cost of transportation, teachers’ reactions to their contribution, size of the family, poverty as well as poor educational background. The study recommended among others, that parents should endeavour to read to their children teach their children reading and also that parents should consider the welfare of their children in making decisions on the kind of business they indulge in to avoid cases of neglect on their children.