Contents

CHAPTER ONE........................................................................................................................... 1

I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................1

1.1) BACKGROUND OF THE WORK........................................................................................ 1

1.2) HISTORICAL BACKGROUND............................................................................................3

1.3) CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND:.........................................................................................3

1.4) CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND:........................................................................................4

1.5) THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.........................................................................................4

1.6) STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.......................................................................................5

Research Hypothesis............................................................................................................. 5

1.7) OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:.............................................................................................6

1.7.1) General Objective....................................................................................................6

1.7.2) Specific Objectives:.................................................................................................6

1.8) Research Questions:.......................................................................................................6

1.8.1) The Main Research Question...................................................................................6

1.8.2) Specific Research Question......................................................................................6

1.9) Scope of the Study......................................................................................................6

1.9.1) Time Scope.............................................................................................................. 6

1.9.2) Geographical Scope.................................................................................................6

1.9.3) Thematic Scope........................................................................................................7

1.10) SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:..................................................................................7

1.11) JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY..................................................................................7

1.12) ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY.................................................................................7

1.13) OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS....................................................................8

CHAPTER TWO.......................................................................................................................... 9

LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................. 9

2) INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................9

2.1) CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK..........................................................................................9

REVIEW CONCEPT:...............................................................................................................10

2.2) TYPE OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT:.................................................................................10

2.3) THEORITICAL REVIEW:..................................................................................................11

The Effects of Parent Involvement......................................................................................12

Reasons for a Lack of Parent Involvement..........................................................................16

Getting Parents Involved..................................................................................................... 17

Standards for Parent Involvement...................................................................................... 18

2.3) THE BENEFITS OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT...................................................................21

2.4) IMPACT OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT:............................................................................21

2.5) BARRIERS TO PARENTAL INVOLMENT..........................................................................22

2.6) INCREASING LEVELS OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT..........................................................23

2.7) THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:........................................................................................23

CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................................... 25

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................25

3.1) RESEARCH METHOD.....................................................................................................25

3.2) RESEARCH DESIGN.......................................................................................................25

3.3) POPULATION OF THE STUDY........................................................................................25

3.3.1) Target population................................................................................................. 25

3.3.2) Accessible population............................................................................................25

3.3.3) SAMPLE AND SAMPLIN TECHNIQUE.....................................................................26

3.4) DATA COLLECTION SOURCE:.........................................................................................26

 3.4.1) PRIMARY SOURCE of DATA...................................................................................26

3.4.2) SECONDARY SOURCES Of DATA.............................................................................26

3.5) METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS....................................................................................... 26

3.6) INSTRUMENT OF DATA COLLECTION............................................................................26

3.7) FACE VALIDITY..............................................................................................................26

3.7.1) CONTENT VALIDITY...............................................................................................26

3.7.2) VALIDATION OF INSTRUMENTS.............................................................................27

3.8) ADMINISTRATION OF INSTRUMENTS...........................................................................27

3.9) ETHICAL CONSOLIDATION............................................................................................27

3.10) Limitations.................................................................................................................27

3.11) Data Analysis.............................................................................................................. 27

CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................... 29

Introduction............................................................................................................................ 29

Demographic information...................................................................................................29

Conclusions:........................................................................................................................ 36

Recommendations:............................................................................................................. 37

Appendix................................................................................................................................. 38

References ............................................................................................................................. 39
 DECLARATION

This is to declare that this project entitled “the effects of parental involvement and students’
academic Achievement is written by TUMA BELINDA LANGMIA, a student of Higher
Institute of Technology, Business and Management Science. This work is my hard work and all
borrowed idea has been acknowledge.

CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that this project entitled “The effects of parental involvement and learner’s
Academic Achievement “ is written by TUMA BELINDA LANGMIA under the supervision of
Mrs. NDEH ZENEVIV and submitted to the Higher Institute of Technology, Business and
Management Science in partial fulfillment of the award of a Higher National Diploma in Science
of education.

Supervisor: MRS NDEH ZENEVIV

Signature _____________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________________

DEDICATION

My beloved family
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 The accomplishment of this work was thanks to the contribution of many actors for
which I am thankful.

To begin with, I wish to sincerely thank my supervisor Mrs. NDEH ZENEVIV for her
outright criticisms, patience and support both moral and materially from the beginning to the end
of this work.

I am also very grateful to all the staff of HITBAMAS especially, lecturers of the Education
department who were also there to encourage me through my studies and the administration of
COLLEGE BILINGUAL LE BERCEAU DES ANGES for granting me the permission to carry
out data.

My sincere appreciation also goes to my beloved husband and my parents who supported me
financially and materially for the success of this research work.

I equally want to thank my siblings, my dear friend Mr. Clinton, my friends, and the efforts of
some of my course mates who collaborated with me. They cannot be left out for their untiring
support from the beginning to the end of this work.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1) BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

 Most of us grew up believing we could do anything or become anything we wanted with
dedication and hard work, but for many in this country the dream is fading as the gap between rich
and poor continues to grow. Children were told that if they studied hard they could “make something
of themselves.” While this is still true, the rules have changed and the stakes are higher. Governments
have decreased aid for public education and set spending caps. Students today are being faced with
“high stakes” testing. We used to worry about scoring high enough on examinations to get into
college, but now students take examinations to get out of school. In practice it will most likely
become another opportunity for the rich school districts to succeed and the poor school districts to
fail. Revenue caps and high stakes testing appear to be an inevitable part of our future so we must find
affordable, effective means for inspiring students and their families to improve student outcome. One
way may be parental involvement. Another way might be to teach effective parenting skills which
could in turn increase parental involvement. Numerous studies have been done to confirm the
assumption that students do better when their parents are involved in their education (Bronfenbrenner,
Karnes & Lee, Florin & Doke are cited by the State of Iowa Department of Education, 1998 p. 1).
“Henderson and Berla’s study (as cited in Bowen,1999 p. 1), stated, “According to a review of 66
studies of how students succeed in school when parents become involved in children’s education at
school and in the community, the results include one or more of the following: higher grades and test
scores, better attendance and regularly completed assignments, fewer placements in special education
and remedial classes, more positive attitudes and behavior in school, higher graduation rates, and
greater enrollment in secondary education.”

Parent involvement in children’s education has been proclaimed for years as being a very
important predictor of student academic outcome or achievement. 1 The family has a responsibility to
socialize children for making them productive members of society. The more the parents get involved
in the process of imparting education to their children, the more the children might excel in their
academic careers and become productive and responsible members of the society. It was also
assumed that the academic achievement of students may not only depend on the quality of schools
and the teachers rather the extent of parental involvement had an important role to play in the
academic outcomes of their kids. Children are more likely to have higher academic achievement
levels and improve behavior when families are involved in their education. 2 Numerous studies in this
area had demonstrated the importance of family interaction and parental involvement in the years.
1

2
 There are countless obstacles on the road to success and the roads out of the lower and middle
class seem to have greater obstacles than the roads for the children of the privileged. If students and
their parents understand the advantages offered by something as simple as parent involvement some
may choose to become more involved and therefore help their children be more successful. This fact
is one of the major reasons for the great emphasis on parent involvement that is flooding our schools.
There is a veritable plethora of projects to increase parent involvement in our schools. The question
is, are they producing the results that they were intended to produce? Perhaps we need to take a look
at the results of some research on the topic before we adopt another new program or implement
another plan. One of the considerations might be to offer parenting classes to parents of teenagers to
help them learn and develop parenting styles that would encourage success.

Without research to “prove” the effect of parent involvement on student success, many parents may
feel it is too late to become involved when their child is already in high school. Hopefully, it is never
too late to become involved in our children’s lives. When we consider how complicated our
children’s lives have become as they travel through their teen years, we owe them, as responsible
parents and educators, our involvement in their lives.

However research findings had also shown that a continued effort of parental involvement
through the child’s education can improve academic achievement 3. National organizations have
placed parent involvement as a high priority within their platforms. Since seventy percent of student’s
waking hours, including weekends and vocations, are spent outside school setting. 4It is essential that
parents are involved in their child’s education for success. Furthermore, there is a need to investigate
how schools might support and promote parental involvement more effective. We can develop more
effective ways for encouraging parental involvement and boosting academic achievement for all
students by filling these knowledge gaps. This study is therefore aimed at investigating the effect of
parental involvement on the academic outcomes of student’s in Yaoundé six (6).

1.1.1) Historical Background

Since early times, parents have been the most important educators of their children. Children
received their first education in the home until 1580 B.c. when in Egypt the first formal education
outside the home was started. The root of the current emphasis on parental involvement, however, can

4
be seen in the works of Rousseau (1712-1778) and Pestalozzi (1747-1827). Rousseau emphasized
education' and the importance of mothers being involved in the education of their children. Pestalozzi
viewed a mother as the child's first educator. His thoughts were that the mother is the first to nourish
her child's body; so she should also be the first to nourish his or her mind (Pestalozzi, 1951). In the
United States, the kindergarten movement began in the 1880s with its emphasis on involving parents
in their children's education. As a result, in the late 1880s they were least likely to be able to get
involved with their children's school the working poor, the non-English-speaking, those on welfare,
and homeless families. During this time decentralization and an increase in site-based management
made it possible, for some groups of parents to become very involved at local levels, while other
groups of parents were not encouraged or invited to participate in schools.

Finally, Bloom (1992) and Lopez (1992) in separate chapters described the current state of
parental involvement in schools. The schools of the 1990s, they believed, are attempting to create
climates of support and respect for parents. Although largely unfocused and at a grass-roots level,
parental involvement in the current decade has seen an increase in schools on all levels.
Comprehensive parental involvement policies with nationwide and state networking capabilities are
evolving. Parents, continuing to be frustrated with public education, are forming ad hoc parent groups
devoted to instigating specific changes or promoting specific issues. PT As and PTOs are continuing
to grow in number and strength as parents are feeling an increased sense of urgency to become
involved in their local schools.

1.1.2) CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND

Parental involvement is a key factor in a child's academic achievement, stemming from the idea
that parents play a critical role in shaping their child's educational outcomes. This involvement
can take many forms, including monitoring homework, communicating with teachers, attending
school events, and providing a supportive learning environment at home. Research shows that
children whose parents are actively involved in their education tend to have higher grades, test
scores, and overall academic success compared to those with less involved parents. This is
because parental involvement can lead to increased motivation, better study habits, improved
behavior, and a more positive attitude towards learning. Ultimately, when parents are engaged
 and supportive of their child's education, it can have a significant impact on their academic
achievement.

1.1.3) CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

This piece of work is done within the context of the effects of parental involvement on
students’ academic outcome. In this context, it is to observe how the effects of parental involvement
can affect students’ academic outcome and how to increase parental involvement on students’
academic achievement in COLLEGE BILINGUAL LE BERCEAU DES ANGES YAOUNDE 6. It is
in this content that this research is base to show the effects of parental involvement on students’
academic achievement, the benefits of parental involvement, the impact of parental involvement, and
the Barriers of parental involvement in Yaoundé 6.

1.1.4) THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Parental involvement according to the theory of Hoover-Dempsey and sandler suggest that
parent’s attempts to support children learning can be classified in to one or more of the follow
categories: involvement through encouragement, Involvement through Modeling, involvement
through reinforcement, and involvement though instruction. Piaget theory supports the idea that the
involvement of parents is an important factor in children development and achievement.

Ecological Systems Theory: Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, this theory emphasizes

the multiple levels of influence on a child's development, including the microsystem (interactions
with immediate family), mesosystem (connections between various microsystems, such as home
and school), exosystem (larger community contexts), and macrosystem (cultural values and
beliefs). According to this theory, parental involvement is influenced by various factors within
these systems, and effective involvement occurs when all levels of influence align to support the
child's education.
 Human Capital Theory: This theory posits that parents' educational attainment and skills
play a significant role in their involvement in their child's education. According to human capital
theory, parents who possess higher levels of education and knowledge are more likely to be
engaged and involved in their child's learning and academic progress.

Expectancy-Value Theory: This theory posits that individuals' choices and behaviors are
influenced by their expectations of success and the perceived value of the activity. Applied to
parental involvement, expectancy-value theory suggests that parents who believe their
involvement will have a positive impact on their child's education and value education highly.
are more likely to be engaged.

These theories provide insights into the factors that influence parental involvement in
education. It's important to recognize that parental involvement is complex and multifaceted, and
these theories help to explain the various factors that contribute to parents' decision-making and
actions related to their child's education.

1.2) STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is a normal phenomenon that when parent give birth to their children. They are
supposed to support, provide and been involved in their children education. They are
basic things that for child to succeed in life, they are something’s a parent is supposed
to do because they are key factors of their children upbringing. Child should see the
parent as a role model but it is so dishardtiny this is not actually the case in our society
today with some parents. During the researcher internship in some schools that she
visited, the researcher observed that this was not really the case they were some
possible problems. The parents became negligent of their problem which includes;
lack of parental support, communication gap, limited sources, over- involved parents,
inconsistent involvement, socio-economic disparities, cultural differences, lack of
awareness &resources for parents &learners was not do well in school. It is in this
light that the research was motivated to come out with the topic, “The effect of parental
involvement on students’ academic achievement.

1.3) OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1 General Objective

To examine effects of parental involvement on students’ academic achievement.

1.3.2) Specific Objectives

 To investigate the effect of parenting style on student academic achievement.

 To find out the effect of socio- economic factors on students’ academic achievement.
 To critically examine the effect of parent teacher association on student’s academic achievement.

1.4 ) RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In order to achieve the above objectives, the study would answer the following research questions

1.4.1) The Main Research Question

 What is the effect of Parental involvement on the academic achievement of students?

1.4.2) Specific Research Question

 How does parenting style influence pupils’ academic achievement?

 How does socio economic factor affect pupils’ academic achievement?

  How does communication affects pupils’ academic achievement ?

1.5) SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research focuses on the time geographical and thematic scope.

1.5.1) Time Scope

This refers to the duration of the study within the time this research was carried out within the time
frame of three months (January 4th –April 4th).

1.5.2 Geographical Scope

This refers to the area covered by the study. The work was limited to some selected Primary
Schools in Yaounde VI sub division.

1.5.3) THEMATIC SCOPE

This refers to the pedagogic field covered by the study. The study is found in a vast domain of
science of education precisely in curriculum studies and teaching involvement on student’s academic
outcome of primary schools in Yaoundé 6 Sub – Division.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will be important to parents. As the title indicates, parents are the central
figures in children's education. It is hoped that the findings will encourage parents' awareness,
perception, interest, competence, and responsibility in the education of their children. Furthermore,
this study re-emphasizes the importance of parent-teacher partnership and advocates a strong shared
responsibility for children's achievement.

Ultimately, this study may help to bring a sense of unity and collegiality among parents as use of
unity and collegiality among parents as use of unity and collegiality among parents as well as with
educators in general.
The finding of this study may lead to increase in parental involvement on students’ academic. In this
scope will be able to search and find out how parental involvement effects students’ academic
achievement.

1.7 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

This literature is carried out to contribute to the limited literature that exists in this area. Besides, it
is done in professional studies in education. The effect of parental involvement in the children’s
education cannot be over emphasized. This will help parents to know that being involved in their
children’s education and also socialize children for making them productive members of the society.

1.8 ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY

This study comprise of five sections: The Introduction, which is the first, gives on overview of the
topic in question and research gaps. The second, literature review gives a review of relevant literature
that are related to the parental involvement in the academic outcomes of students, followed by
methodology. Which entails the research design used, the sample population, the research instrument
used and the method of data analysis. The Fourth section present the result and discussion of the
outcome of the survey carried out appropriate recommendations were made in the Fifth section.

1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

- Parents: It refers to a person having parental responsibility for the child and young people Act 2008
including a career planted under that act.

- Involvement: It refers to the fact or Participating in something.

Student success - The definition goes beyond “the gaining of wealth, fame, etc.” to “a favorable
result” which will include friendship, respect, happiness, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction

- Parental Involvement: It refers to the engagement and participation of parents in the educational
activities of their children. The definition will include interaction with the child at home, at school,
and other activities such as sports, 4-H or scouts and involvement with the school as learners,
advocates for their children, and decision makers in such areas as school policy, hiring, and budget.
- Students: It refers to a person who goes to school to learn something

- Partnership: This refers to joining Parents and educators in various ways to promote the success of
children (Chris peels 1996).

- P.T.A: It refers to parents –Teacher association who work together providing benefits for school
children (National PTA, 1997).

- P.T.O: Parents-Teacher organization which bring parents and teachers together to bring out
common goals and which can be use for the benefits of school children or comes to achieve curricular
and fundraising goals.

For the purpose of this study the following terms need to be defined: Parent - The definition
includes not only biological parents, but step-parents, grandparents, foster parents, guardians, and any
other concerned person who may carry the primary responsibility for the child’s development,
education, and general wellbeing.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

INTRODUCTION
This chapter will provide an overview of the effects of parent involvement relating to school
activities, parent expectations, and parenting style. Common sense tells us that getting parents
involved in the education of their children is a good thing” The study was undertaken to show
whether parent involvement in fact does increase student’s academic outcomes. Many researches
 during the past years has supported that statement parents who are involve with their children’s
education promote greater achievement. Thus, the purpose of this literature review has been to
define “parent involvement, students’ academic outcomes.

2.1) CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1: show the independent variable and the depending variables " The effects of parental
involvement on students’ academic achievement"

DEPENDENT VARIABLE
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT STUDENTS ACADEMIC OUTCOME

-parenting style. CONCEPT:

2.2) REVIEW
- Socioeconomic factor - Parents support
- parents Teacher relationship - Motivation
involvement. - Class room environment

Parental involvement refers to the engagement and participation of parents in the

educational activities of their children. Such as advice, guiding, counseling, helping with homework
and participating in school activities.

- Academic outcomes refer to an overall academic achievement by students based on the multiple
assessments’ results. Such as quiz, test, assignment, attendance, participation and final examination.

Parent involvement, according to Vandergrift and green (1992) has two independent components, one
being parents as supporters, the other component being parents as active partners.

The definition has brought about belief that most parents do really care about their children and
have important perspective about their children. Parents are capable of learning new techniques that
they can use.
 “Parental involvement is reading to preschool children. It is getting children ready for school every
morning. It is volunteering at the school; it is serving on collaborative decision making communities
and it also influence legislatures to advocate for children” (Jesse 1997).

2.3) TYPE OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Several researchers have identified types of parent involvement Moore (1991) identified
three approaches to parent involvement as parents as policy makers, facilitators of children’s
development, and as volunteers. Hester (1989) who emphasized on communication with parents as
teacher’s are facilitators of children’s development and as advocates. More, Davies (1991) identified
three common themes for parental involvement as providing success for all children, serving the
whole child and sharing responsibility. Further, the national parent teacher Association Board of
directors endorsed the three type of involvement as: parents as the first educators in the home, parents
as partners with the schools and parents as advocates for all children and youth (National PTA, 1993).

The National PTA released six standards for parent involvement. These type of involvement were
created in With other reform initiatives that success (Ramsbury, 1997). These National standards for
parent /Family involvement programs are voluntary guidelines provided to help strengthen the parent
and family involvement on behave of all children in schools and other programs. The six standards,
their quality indicators, provide local schools, PTA organizations, and communities with the
necessary components needed for highly effective parent /family involvement program (National
PTA, (1997).

2.4 REVIEW OF OBJECTIVES

Clearly promoting parent involvement is a good teaching strategy. But how can you encourage and
help parents and families to be more involved in their children’s education? Education expert Joyce
Epstein, a professor at the johns Hopkins school of Education has developed a Framework you can
follow. She divides types of parent involvement in to six categories:

Parenting style: The first way parent can support their children’s education is by providing a
healthy home environment. As an educator, you can help parents by offering parenting workshops;
helping their family in need support programs and government assistance programs and encouraging
them to model pro education behavior, such as reading to and in front of their children.
 Communication: keeping parents informed and making it easy for them to ask questions or
express concerns is vital to parent involvement. You want to make sure you’re holding parent –
teacher conference (with language translator, if needed), sending students work home with
explanation of their grades, sending out regular e-mails or memos describing the work you’re doing in
the classroom, and making yourself available to take parents calls and parent- teacher meetings (with
and administrator present, if need.

Volunteering: one of the most direct ways for parents to involve themselves in their children’s
education is volunteer in the classroom and or school. You should invite parent to help out in the
classroom and make sure they are aware of volunteer opportunities within the schools, such as
helping out with office work, aiding safety patrols, running concessions at games.

Learning at Home: parents and other family members can be great educational resources for
students. To help parents provide at home learning, you should keep them inform about homework
assignments and projects you can also provide resources designed to help them understand the subject
matter you’re teaching. Additionally, sending home list of voluntary reading and other activities can
help parents ensure their children have ways to learn outside of the classroom.

Decision Making: Good schools and districts run as a partnership between parents and educators.
You should encourage parent to join the PTA / PTO and participate in local advocacy and support
groups focuses on education. Likewise, you should make sure parents know about local school board
elections.

collaborating with the community: parent who are involved in the community are typically going
to be involve in the school system, too. To help them connect, you can provide information on
community activities at local museums and parks; develop community services projects that bring
together parents, teachers, and administrators; and also invite community leader to speak in the
classroom and at parent events.

A greater impact in students learning has been found to occur when a comprehensive, school-wide
approach to parent involvement and partnership building has been in a place (Gordon, 1978). Parents
do not have to be well educated to provide appropriate involvement in their children’s education, but
must be willing to learn and participate (Henderson, 1987).
 The Effects of Parent Involvement

Parental involvement is not a new concept but has evolved, in this country, from parents being
concerned about their son’s education and their daughter’s dowry to a genuine concern for the
education of both sons and daughters. It is only in the past few decades that studies, such as the Perry
Preschool Project that began in 1960 by Sweinhart and Weikart, have been done to assess the effects
of parent involvement on children’s educational and personal success. This project followed children
who attended high quality early childhood programs for two-and-a half hours five days a week, They
did very well both academically and socially. They received less remedial education, graduated from
high school and went on to jobs and higher education at twice the rate of children without the
preschool experience. Additionally, they had fewer teen pregnancies, fewer arrests, and less welfare
dependency. As adults they were more likely to be married, own a home, and hold a stable job.

Velez & Jones (1997) research concluded parent/child interaction lays a firm foundation for
academic achievement. The stronger the relationships, especially as they relate to educational issues,
the higher the academic achievement. The research is now beyond dispute. When schools and
families work together to support learning, children tend to succeed not only in school, but throughout
life (Wherry, no date). Johnston (1998) attributes student’s achievement, school adjustment, and good
behavior to parent/family involvement in the educational process. The Metropolitan Omaha
Educational Consortium [MOEC] (1999) cited the comprehensive survey of research done as a series
of publications by Henderson, Henderson, and Berla, (1981, 1987, and 1995). Henderson et al. cited
more than 85 studies, which documented the profound and comprehensive benefits for students,
families, and schools, when parents and family members became participants in the education and
lives of their children. There are hundreds of studies that conclude with the same basic results,
children are more successful when parents take an active role in their lives. Dr. Joyce Epstein, PhD.,
director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University,
is one of the leading experts in the field of parent involvement. She and Sanders stated, “More will be
accomplished if schools, families, and communities work together to promote successful students”.

Student success is most commonly associated with grade point average (GPA) and test scores.
According to Wherry (no date), research can now document the following benefits for students:
higher grades and test scores, better attendance and more homework done, fewer placements in
special education, more positive attitudes and behavior, higher graduation rates, and greater
enrollment in post-secondary education. Johnston (1998) stated students whose families were
involved in school tended to express higher aspirations for their educations and careers. These
students were more likely to set career goals in scientific, technical, and professional areas. As high
school students they were more likely to enroll in advanced courses. They had a stronger commitment
to life-long education than students whose parents were not involved. Crime, alcohol use, drug use,
and other anti-social behaviors decreased among adolescents as the amount of parent involvement in
schooling increased. There was a general avoidance of high-risk behaviors. Students with involved
parents were nearly three times more likely than students whose parents were uninvolved to be
engaged in school-sponsored activities such as the arts, academics, service clubs, and athletics.
Students who felt connected to the school, typically, exhibited higher achievement, better social
skills, and higher levels of self-esteem. Johnston (1998) continued his discussion of the outcomes of
parent involvement with the following information: Students whose parents were uninvolved were
twice as likely as those with involved parents to be in the bottom half of their class or repeat a grade.
Johnston states, “There is some indication that the degree of parent involvement is more significant in
the school success of students than virtually any other variable, including race, social class, or native
language.”

Wherry (no date) listed benefits for parents which include: more confidence in the school, teachers
have higher opinions of parents and higher expectations of their children, greater confidence in
themselves as parents and in their ability to help their children learn at home, and greater likelihood
that the parents will enroll in continuing education to advance their own schooling.

He also listed benefits for the school and community. These were: improved teacher morale, higher
ratings of teachers by parents, more support from families, higher student achievement, and better
reputations in the community. It is important to realize the benefits involving parenting are not
confined to early childhood; there are significant gains at all ages and grade levels. Junior and senior
high school students whose parents remained involved made better transitions, maintained the quality
of their work, and developed realistic plans for their future. The most accurate predictor of a student’s
achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student’s family is
able to: create a home environment that encourages learning; communicate high, yet reasonable,
expectations for the child’s achievement and future careers; and become involved in the community
(MOEC, 1999, Wherry, no date). Deslandes, Royer, Turcotte, and Bertrand (1997), concluded three
factors that contributed to school achievement were parental acceptance, supervision, and
psychological autonomy granting. Dauber & Epstein’s study and Junosz’s study, cited in Deslandes,
Royer, Turcotte, and Bertrand (1997), found home environment influences academic achievement and
thus prevented high school dropout.

It is important to realize not every style of parenting will bring about the same results of student
achievement. Gestwicki (1996) emphasized the fact that research shows the early years are of utmost
importance in setting learning patterns for children and families. The importance of parenting cannot
be overemphasized.

Attachment, the strong, mutual bond between parent and child that forms during the first
two years of life, is correlated with virtually every aspect of development: physical
thriving; the exploration, curiosity, and problem solving that are foundations for
cognitive skills; the appearance of language and communication skills; emotional
security and social comfort…. Studies confirm the assumption that specific factors in the
parent’s style (particularly mothers) have important and lasting impact on children’s
learning style, cognitive growth, and educational achievements. 5

Parental expectations are related to school performance. Educational expectations are

positively and significantly related to grades in English, math, and science. There is also a strong
correlation between parents who enforce rules at home and their children’s grades at school 6. In their
study, Velez and Jones (1997) interviewed Latino parents and found they have a high level of
interaction and engagement with their children. Every family reported activities they did together,
such as, going to church, playing soccer, and going out for dinner. Parents talked with their children
about events and issues in their lives, discussed education, and expectations. All reported some type
of supervision and monitoring of homework. Many described rules and consequences for getting
homework done, including where the students worked, the time allotted, and rewards for completion.
All parents in the sample expressed high aspirations related to their children’s education.

Parents in this study who reported having academically successful students showed an
intrusive style of parenting. They closely monitored not only homework, but also other aspects of
their children’s lives. This monitoring behavior included knowing what children did during their
5

6
 leisure time and who their friends were, as well as enforcing strict curfews. Communication between
parent and child was frequent, with parents reporting a high degree of trust and camaraderie between
themselves and their children. Though this study is heavily flavored with ethnicity, the findings are
likely to ring true for all parents who show the same parenting style. As Zellman and Waterman
(1998) stated in their study of white, African American, and Latino parents, “ethnic and family
structure effects on the individual measures were generally nonsignificant.”

Zellman and Waterman (1998) found parent enthusiasm contributed significantly to the
home-site and school-site involvement of parents. Even more effective than enthusiasm was positive
parenting style as a predictor of child outcome. They went on to say that parenting style had a greater
effect on student achievement than parent school involvement. This is an important point to
remember as we develop parent involvement programs and projects. Teaching parenting skills will
have a greater and longer lasting effect on our children’s lives.

Reasons for a Lack of Parent Involvement

Research has shown repeatedly that parent involvement is a key factor in students’ success.
Hickman (1995) even goes so far as to say it is the most important factor in determining a student’s
success in school and in their future. With so much evidence at hand one must question why parents,
especially at the high school level, are not more involved.

In the past every elementary school had a PTA full of enthusiastic parents and field trips
were eagerly chaperoned by moms and dads. Teachers were generally satisfied with that amount of
parent involvement. With the exception of booster clubs, PTOs, and open houses, high schools across
the country have kept parents at a distance (Fisher 1995). The following questions are offered by
Fisher (1995) as a basis for teacher apprehension. “They are:

 Does the “opening of our doors” compromise a safe and orderly environment?
 Who will manage this sizable labor relations endeavor?
 How much training will be needed for volunteers?
 How will concerns about confidentiality be addressed?
 How will “undesirable” volunteers be screened from working with our children?
 How will labor unions react to an increased volunteer work force?
 Will teachers’ fear of losing their autonomy undermine this effort?
 Will parents be considered equal partners in the educational process?”
Teachers’ fears and concerns are not the only obstacles to parent involvement. Many parents are
encouraged to stay home by their children. Having ones’ parents at school is potentially embarrassing,
after all, how much independence does one feel with mom or dad at school? How many parents have
the time to be at school? Some may not care and the majority trusts the schools to meet the needs of
their sons and daughters. Wherry (no date) offers the following as barriers to parent involvement:
time, uncertainty about what to do and their own importance, cultural barriers, and lack of a
supportive environment. Epstein states that schools and families are more likely to get in touch when
the student is having problems at school.

Gender does play a role with parents of females evidencing greater involvement. The
socialization of males and females is different in society with regard to such issues as independence
and feelings of protectiveness on the part of parents. High school parents are evidently more likely to
communicate with the school regarding their daughter’s problems, getting involved in advocate
(perhaps political) types of activities, and work with their daughters at home than they are of their
sons7. Another societal factor to consider is the divorce rate, at roughly fifty percent of all marriages
predicted to end in divorce there are more homes with single parents trying to do the job of two,
leaving little or no time to do volunteering at the schools. Lastly, parents may not be involved simply
because they haven’t been asked, by the school or by their child.

With the volumes of research demonstrating the importance of parent involvement at all levels
of education it is imperative that we find ways to increase the amount of parent involvement in our
schools and in their children’s lives in general. Numerous programs have been implemented around
the country with varying degrees of success. Just reminding parents of the effects of their involvement
may be a simple step in increasing involvement. This could be done through the school newsletter,
notes home, parenting classes or parent appreciation night.

7
 Getting Parents Involved

No one doubts that parent involvement with schools is important. It is especially important
now, as states and school systems begin to develop learning standards and implement practices based
on current research a practice that looks different from those that parents remember from their own
school days. We cannot expect parents to accept and support these changes if they don’t understand
them and are left out of the planning process. “If test scores have dropped in the last 20 years, it is not
because schools are not performing as effectively, but because our curriculum has broadened and
social responsibilities have increased.” Schools have been forced to assume greater responsibility for
raising and nurturing students, from personal hygiene to sex education. Teachers find themselves with
more duties and curriculum to cover and shrinking resources with which to get the job done.
Therefore, the concept of parent involvement is essential.

Increasing parent involvement in the education of their children is no longer a lofty hope for
parents and schools, it is a federal mandate. One of the national education goals states explicitly that,
“By the year 2024, all schools will promote partnerships that will increase parent involvement and
participation in promoting the social, emotional and academic growth of children”. The question is,
how do we achieve this? We must not lose sight of the many and varied ways that parents can be
involved or that there is not a magical age when their involvement is no longer of importance and
value. “Parents are the first and most important teachers of their children. “The home is our most
8
important social institution. The home is the most important academy of learning “

Standards for Parent Involvement

In an effort to make the development of parent and family involvement programs more successful a
number of guidelines have been offered. The National PTA (1997) has adopted Epstein’s (1995) six
standards for parent and family involvement programs.

 Standard I: Communicating - Communication between home and school is regular, two-way,

and meaningful.

8
 Standard II: Parenting - Parenting skills are promoted and supported. - Standard III: Student Learning
- Parents play an integral role in assisting student learning.
 Standard IV: Volunteering - Parents are welcome in the school, and their support and assistance are
sought.
 Standard V: School Decision Making and Advocacy - Parents are full partners in the decisions that
affect children and families.
 Standard VI: Collaborating with Community - Community resources are used to strengthen schools,
families, and student learning.
These standards are each developed into a list of suggestions and examples to offer clear and
concise guidelines for parent and family involvement programs. Wherry (no date) lists seven essential
elements of strong parent involvement programs, similar to Epstein’s, developed from a study of
promising programs. Programs are being implemented at the local, state, and national levels to
involve and empower parents. Even the PTA is shaking off its old image and becoming more
assertive in response to mounting problems facing our public schools (Gould, 1999). Mehran and
White’s study and Tizard, Scofield, and Hewson’s study indicate that teaching effective parenting
skills, training parents to provide academic help at home, for example, can lead to substantial
achievement gains. (As cited by Bowen, 1999). Teaching parents the importance of encouraging
success in school was a primary component of another successful intervention (Rodick & Henggeler,
cited by Bowen, 1999). Examples of activities that schools could use to promote positive parenting
styles include workshops, parent education, and parent support groups. 9“A good role model for all
children at any age is a parent who listens to the ideas, concerns, joys, experiences of his/her children
“(Epstein, 2000, p.4).

“ Unless educators involve parents and community members - in developing the standards and
implementing the new teaching strategies, what may begin as a journey toward promising change will
10
probably end in frustration, failure, and community conflict” School-Linked Services (no date),
offers the following strategies to increase parent/family involvement. These strategies include:

 Developing before and after school programs

 Offering workshops on parenting issues or home learning activities
 Organizing adult literacy or computer classes for family members

10
 Providing parent leadership training
 Designing school-based Parent Centers
 Hosting fun social events to break down communication barriers between parents and school staff.

School districts across the nation have adopted or created programs to involve parents. They
all share the common goals of making children and thus school districts more successful. These
organizations have acronyms such as PIE, which stands for Partners in Education, created by Bonnie
Mc Reynolds in Arizona (Alpert, 2000). TIPS are an interactive homework that requires students to
talk to someone at home about something interesting they are learning in class (Aiex, 1996). Others
have names that project the hopes of the creators. The Best Practice Project out of National-Louis
University, is working in a dozen schools to involve parents in supporting student-centered,
constructivist classrooms (Daniels, 1996). Bel Air High School in El Paso , Texas has a program
called “All Kids Can Learn” (Gest et al. 2000).

Zellman & Waterman, (1998) , in an attempt to better understand what accounts for the
impact of parent school involvement on child outcomes, asked the following questions.

“Does the involvement increase child self-esteem, inform parents of school curricula and
expectations, or increase parents’ sense of their importance in their children’s school careers? Or,
does parent involvement simply proxy good parenting or strong motivation for their children’s
success?” (p. 2)

Though these are valid questions they are unimportant to this study. The effects of parent
involvement are the concern. Zellman and Waterman, (1998) state that: parent style is not enmeshed
in a social context defined by poverty, wealth, or ethnic background. This is most encouraging to
those who want to help parents help their children, because it suggests that parenting style may be
both teachable and changeable. We encourage those concerned with the development and well-being
of children--parents, teachers, and child development professionals--to rethink their notions about
parent involvement programs. Focusing them more clearly on improving parenting may produce
more significant and long-lasting effects on children. (p. 12).

Change is frightening, time-consuming, and labor intensive, but what it stands to offer may
have a profound effect on the culture of the school, community, and ultimately, student learning
(Fisher, 1994). More will be accomplished if schools, families, and communities work together. Each
of the studies reviewed for this paper has shown the profound and unquestionable positive results of
parent involvement. The success, both academically and socially is not related to ethnicity or income,
but to positive parenting style, a skill which can be learned. The American dream has not died; it lives
on for those who choose to become involved in the lives of their children.

The benefits of parent involvement

Benefits of parent involvement the directly relate to students include having more positive attitude
towards school, higher grades, enroll in higher-level programs, pass their classes, attend school
regularly having better social skills and graduates on to post-secondary education. (National coalition
for parent involvement). More so, when Parents are involved in their children’s schooling students
show higher academic achievement, school engagement and motivation, according to a (1019,
American Psychological Association review).

Further, A 2005 study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins university center on school, family
and community partnerships) , showed that school practices encouraging families to support their
children’s math learning at home led to higher percentage s of students scoring at or above
proficiency on standardized math tests.

Furthermore, parent involvement with reading activities has a positive impact on reading activities
has a language comprehension, and expressive language skills, as well student’s interest in reading,
attitudes towards reading, and level of attention in the classroom, (according to a research summary
by the National Literacy Trusts). Additionally, fewer students are placed in special education
programs. More students maintain a positive attitude and display appropriate behavior when parents
have been involved in their education. Students whose parents, involved by offering frequent verbal
support of learning, schools, and teachers better in school (Clark 1990

Parents’ involvement

Uncover the powerful influence of parental involvement on academic success. Explore the benefits
of active engagement in children’s educational outcome. As the main stakeholders, students have a
major role in their academic achievement. Indeed, researchers such as Karnstantopoulos (2009) and
shores, Shannon, and smith (2010) concluded that student factors influence student’s academic
achievement. Kang and keinonen (2018) and other researchers explained that students’ time
management, self-motivation, engagement, behavior, and attitudes are the key factors governing their
academic success.

Walberg’s theory of academic achievement posits that psychological characteristics of individual

students and their immediate psychological out comes (cognitive behavioral, and attitudinal)
Reynolds & Walberg, 1992,). Strong relationships are the secret to a happy and successful life. A
Childhood in which one feels accepted are nurtured is one of the predict of adult success, well-being,
and life satisfaction (bowl by ¿ aniscoorth attachment theory, 1905).

Barriers to parental involvement

Numerous barriers to parent involvement have been identified by both parents and teachers. The
national PTA (1996) describes some common barriers as lack of time, not being valued, and not
knowing how to contribute. Further barriers to parent are involvement include: childcare difficulties,
language, cultural differences, transport difficulties, and not understanding the education system. The
various barriers can be categories by adopting Epstein’s (2001) framework of over clapping the three
areas of family, school and community. It is presented as follows:

Individual and family factors Child factors

Parents beliefs Age

Perceptions of invitation Learning difficulties and disabilities

Current life contexts Gifts and talents

Class ethnicity and gender Behavioral problems

Parent-teacher factors Societal factors

Differing goals and agendas Historical and demogaphic

Deffering attitudes Political

Differing language used Economic

 School don’t have the resources to facilities family-school partnerships middle school can be
inaccessible to parent for number of structural psychological, and socio-cultural reasons for example,
teachers in the middle grades are often organized in to terms, and parents may not know who to
approach if they have questions or concerns what is worse ,research suggest that the middle-grade
schools contribute to the problem by providing fewer workshops, courses, suggestion for home
learning activities, childcare for parents than elementary schools(juvenon et, al 2004).

INCREASING LEVELS OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Several researchers’ has systematically investigates and identified successful parent involvement
programs. Some are listed below

Develop and use a home communication system, using methods teachers’ mail, phone, email,
communication note books, face to face meeting. And also ensure that parents’ contacts information
is up to date so that communication plows

William’s and charkin (1989) of the southwest education development laboratory identified seven
parents involvement which include: written policies, administrative support training promising
programs partnerships approach two-way communication, networking and evaluation.

Parenting behaviors tend to be critical a component of good parent has revealed connection
appropriate autonomy and parental regulation to be fundamental (barber, 1997)

2.2) THEORETICAL REVIEW

Ecological Systems Theory: Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, this theory

emphasizes the multiple levels of influence on a child's development, including the
microsystem (interactions with immediate family), mesosystem (connections between various
microsystems, such as home and school), exosystem (larger community contexts), and
macrosystem (cultural values and beliefs). According to this theory, parental involvement is
influenced by various factors within these systems, and effective involvement occurs when all
levels of influence align to support the child's education. The ecologica,l system theory highlight
the inter-connectedness of various factors in shape an individuals development and behavior.
According to this theory, parent who are involve in their children education will know how to
Shape their behaviors, support, guard and communication between parents, children and
educators . provides a framework for understanding how various environmental systems interact
and influence human development. In the context of parental involvement in education,
ecological system theory emphasizes the importance of considering multiple levels of influence
on children's educational outcomes, including the family, school, community, and broader
societal factors. At the center of Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory is the concept of the
microsystem, which refers to the immediate environment.

Human Capital Theory: This theory posits that parents' educational attainment and skills
play a significant role in their involvement in their child's education. According to human capital
theory, parents who possess higher levels of education and knowledge are more likely to be
engaged and involved in their child's learning and academic progress. Parents who are actively
involved in their children education can provide valuable support, guardians, and encouragement
that contribute to the development of their children human cacpital. By been engage in their
children schooling, parents can help to instill a strong work ethic, motivation to learn and a
positive attitude towards education. Overall, human capital theory emphasizes the importance of
parental involvement in education as a means of enhancing children's human capital and
preparing them for success in school and beyond. By recognizing the role that parents play in
fostering their children's educational development, educators and policymakers can work to
promote and support parental engagement to maximize the potential benefits for children's long-
term outcomes.

Expectancy-Value Theory: This theory posits that individuals' choices and behaviors are
influenced by their expectations of success and the perceived value of the activity. Applied to
parental involvement, expectancy-value theory suggests that parents who believe their
involvement will have a positive impact on their child's education and value education highly are
more likely to be engaged. Parents believe about the outcome of their environment such as
improved academic performance, enhance social skills, and increased opportunities for future
success, also impart their motivation to be involve in their children education. Parents who see a
claer link between their effort, and positive outcomes for their children are more likely to invest
time, resources, and energy in supporting their children educational delopment. Overall,
expectancy value theory suggests that parental involvement in education is influenced by parents'
beliefs about their children's abilities, the importance of education, and the expected outcomes of
their involvement. By understanding these motivational factors, educators and policymakers can
design strategies to enhance parental engagement and support children's academic success.
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
The chapter focuses on the various aspects of methodology the was used for data collection. The
chapter consists of the following: -Research design, Population of study, Sample and Sampling
technique, instruments used for data collection, Validation of the instruments Administration of
Instruments, and method of data analysis.

3.1) RESEARCH DESIGN

The researcher used descriptive survey design.it was necessary for the study because the information
needed by the researcher was to come directly from the respondents through questionnaires.

3.2) POPULATION OF THE STUDY

According to Criswell (2012), population is a group of individuals who have the same characteristics
in the same line, popular (2011) defines population of the study as the totality of the universe of study
.It was based on this that the secondary school in Cameron were considered as the population of the
study. For a convenient and easy steady the population of the study was broken down into the target
and accessible population.

3.2.1 Target population

It is the totality of the elements in which the researcher will carry out all the actions for research. The
target population consists of students in peace setters Yaoundé 6 which was made up of 50 students.

3.2.2 Accessible population.

It is the population that is available to the researcher. It is on the individual of this group that we
verified our research objective our research objective on the effects of parental involvement on
students’ academic outcomes.

3.3.3) SAMPLE SIZE

According to Morgan Kriejce, This is a tool used to determine the appropriate sample size for a research
study based on a specific population size the table provide guidance on the minimum sample size
 needed to achieve a desired level of precision and confidence in the study results, from which the
sample has been selected involves all the students of BILINGUAL HIGH SCHOOL LE BERCEAU DES ANGES
from the Morgan and kriejce TABLE a targeted population of over 60, a sample size is 43 students were
deem sufficient to generalized the result of the study as analyzed by the sample techniques

3.3.4) SAMPLIN TECHNIQUES:

Sampling technique is a method used in research and statistic to select a subset of individual or item
from a large population. This subset known as a sample is then study to analyze to draw conclusion
about the entire population. This was done by assigning number to individuals (samples) and then
randomly chooses from those numbers. Here, the samples of 60 parents were randomly selected
from BILINGUAL HIGH SCHOOL LE BERCEAU DES ANGES YAOUNDE 6.

3.4) DATA COLLECTION SOURCE:

During research, the date collected by from the field was gotten through primary sources
(questionnaire) and through secondary sources (documentation).

3.4.1) PRIMARY SOURCE of DATA

This is data to was solely identified and collected from of study by the researcher with no aid from
other sources. Two days we used to administer questionnaire because of the fact that was a period of
revision on the pupils because the inspector were charge with others duties .the questionnaires we're
dispatched to all the 50 pupils with hope all of them will fill within the time frame for data collection
50 questionnaire came back.

3.4.2) SECONDARY SOURCES Of DATA

These are data that were collection from secondary sources like textbook and internet. The
secondary data were able to back up the primary.

3.5) METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

The researcher used descriptive analysis in interpreting the data collected from the field. Tables
were used by researcher to present data collected from the respondents.

3.6) INSTRUMENT OF DATA COLLECTION

The research instrument was designed in the form of a questionnaire to students. This questionnaire
was made up of The survey was comprised of 15 questions, 5 of which were multiple-choice, 5 close
ended and 5 were open-ended. The questions were divided into three categories.
 3.7) VALIDATION OF INSTRUMENTS
The questionnaire was constructed and presented to the supervisor who read through it to see if
there were some corrections to be made.

3.7.1) CONTENT VALIDITY.

A small scale study was carried on some students who were given the questionnaire after the
corrections to ensure that the questions were appropriate for the research.

3.7.2) FACE VALIDITY

After the researcher designed the questionnaire, I gave it to my class mate who read and made some
corrections. It was then taken to the supervisor who made the final correction and restructuring of the
questions.

3.8) ADMINISTRATION OF INSTRUMENTS

The questionnaire was taken to the principal of the school concerned. After consultation with the
principal of the school, authorization to administer the questionnaires was granted. The researcher
distributed the questionnaires to the student concerned personally and results were collected the same
day

3.9) ETHICAL CONSOLIDATION:

Information obtained from the participants was handled with strict confidentiality. An
authorization obtained from the school for the research to be carried out.

3.10) LIMITATIONS

This one-time study collected data from only a small, homogeneous group. There was no measure
of validity or reliability because the survey was created specifically for this study. It would be better
to repeat the study with students and their parents a number of times as the students’ progress through
school, or better yet, through life.
3.11) Data Analysis

The survey questions were written to represent four specific areas of parent involvement.
The questions for the various sub-scales were randomized throughout the survey and some were
written in reverse form. It was hoped that in doing so respondents would not mark all one
response, but rather have to read each question and provide a more accurate response. The
analysis of the data was divided into eight sub-scales:

1.Parent’s attitudes about involvement at home.

2.Parent’s behaviors relating to involvement at home.

3.Parent’s attitudes about involvement at school.

4.Parent’s behaviors relating to involvement at school.

5.Parent’s attitudes about their desires and expectations for their children.

6.Parent’s behaviors relating to their desires and expectations for their children.

7.Parent’s attitudes about their own school experience.

8.Parent’s behaviors relating to their own school experiences.

All appropriate descriptive statistics were utilized and correlations were made.
 CHAPTER FOUR

4.1) Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce and examine the outcome of the parent
involvement survey as it related to the research questions presented in chapter one. Demographic
information will be given, followed by a summary of the parent responses to the survey
questions. Numbers and percentages from the returned surveys will be presented for each created
variable/subscale. Descriptions of survey information will be presented in a format consistent
with the questions asked by the researcher. The summary of the descriptive statistics on the
independent and dependent variables was presented using tables.
Similarly, the qualitative data was analyzed and used to strengthen the quantitative data from
the fact that the research design survey, it is critical perspective used to support the results obtained
from the interpretation of the quantitative data. As mentioned earlier, multiple choice questions, open
and closed questionnaire were

Used to collect necessary information for this study .a total 60 questionnaire were distributed
to all the parents of COLLEGE BILINGUAL LE BERCEAU DES ANGES. There was random
selection of 50 questionnaires that were properly filled and sent. In general, the total response rate
was very sufficient and safe to analyze and interpret the data .thus this chapter looks at the
presentation and interpretation of the background information of the respondents, descriptive statistics
and conclusion of the findings.

Demographic information

Table 1: completing survey

Respondents Frequency Percentage

Mother 30 60

Father 15 30
 Guardian / other 5 10

Total 50 100

From the table above, it show that out of 50 respondents, 30 of them with percentage 60 represent
mother, 15 of the respondents with a percentage of 30 represent fathers, while 5 of the respondents
with a percentage of 10.this shows that the majority of the respondents are mothers.(see table 1)

Table 2: Parents age group.

Educational Mother percentage Father percentage Guardian frequency percentage

level frequency frequency

Under 30 10 20 0 0 5 10

31 - 40 14 28 16 32 19 38

41 – 50 12 24 18 36 20 40

51+ 14 28 16 32 6 12

Total 50 100 50 100 50 100

Analysis of parent age groups found that the largest number of parents under 30 years with 10(20%)
mother, 0 (0%) fathers, 5 (10%) guardians. The 41 – 50 years, 14 (28%) mother, 16 (32%) fathers,
19(38%) guardian. The 51+ years, 14 (28%) mothers, 16(32%) fathers, 6 (12%). Majority of the age
group were guardians with the age range of (41 – 50) years.(see table 2)

Table 3: parents’ educational background.

Educational Mother percentage Father Percentage Guardian percentage

l Level frequency frequency frequency
 Under 3 6 8 16 5 10

High school 13 26 12 24 30 60

College 25 50 20 40 10 20

other 9 18 10 20 5 10

TOTAL 50 100 50 100 50 100

The educational background of parents show that under 3 (6%) mothers, 8 (16%) fathers, 5(10)
guardian. The high school 13(26%) mothers, 12(24%)fathers, 30 (60%) guardians. The college
25(50%) mothers, 20(40%) fathers, 10(20%) guardians. Other 9(18%) mothers, 10 (20%) fathers,
5(10%) guardians. Majority of the parents educational level was guardian with 30(60%) at the level of
high school and secondly by mothers with 25(50%) at the level of college.(see table 3)

Table 4: Family income level.

INCOME LEVEL FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

20, 000 – 40,000 36 72

40, 001 – 60, 000 12 24

60,001 – or more 2 4

Total 50 100

The analysis of the parents’ annual income level shows that 36(72%) of the of the family have an
annual income of 20,000 – 40,000 frs, 12 (20%) of the families have between 40, 001 – 60, 000 frs,
and only 2(4%) of the families have between 60,001- or more. Thus 72% of the respondents have as
annual income between 20,000frs – 40,000frs.(see table 4)
TABLE 5: PARENT MARITAL STATUS.

Marital status Frequency percentage

Married 18 36

Divorced 10 20

Single 22 44

Total 50 100

The marital status of parents shows that 22(44%) of the respondents were single parents, 18(36%)
of the respondents were married parents, and only 10 (20%) of the respondents were divorced. Thus
the majority of the respondents represented single parents. (See table 5)

TABLE 6: NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY

Number Of Children Frequency Percentage

One 7 14

Two 15 30

Three 23 46

Four or more 5 10

Total 50 100
The final demographic question concerned the number of children in the family. Out of 50
respondent, 7(14%) of the parents have only one child, 15(30%) of the parents have two children,
23(46%) of the parents have three children, and 5(10%) of parents have four or more children. Thus
majority of the families have two or three children. (see table 6)

TABLE 7:

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AT SCHOOL.

School visit

School visit frequency percentage

Never 30 60

1 – 2 times 10 20

3 – 4 times 6 12

5 or more 4 8

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 30(60%) of the respondents were never, 10(20%) of the
respondents were 1-2 times, 6 (12%) of the respondents were 3 – 4 times, 4 (8%) of the respondents
was 5 or more. Thus majority of the parents never visited their children school.

Attend PTA / PTO meetings.

Attend PTA / PTO meetings. frequency percentage

Never 35 70
 1 – 2 times 10 20

3 – 4 times 3 6

5 or more 2 4

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 35(70%) of the respondents were never, 10(20%) of the
respondents were 1-2 times, 3(6%) of the respondents were 3 – 4 times, 2(4%) of the respondents was
5 or more. Thus majority of the parents never attended PTA / PTO in their children school.

Attend school events.

Attend school events frequency percentage

Never 25 50

Sometimes 8 16

Frequently 15 30

Always 2 4

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 25(50%) of the respondents were never, 8(16%) of the
respondents were sometimes, 15(30%) of the respondents were frequently, 2(4%) of the respondents
was always. Thus majority of the parents never attended school event.
 TABLE 8:

Parental involvement at home

Help with Assignment

Help with Assignment Frequency percentage

Never 5 10

Sometimes 10 20

Frequently 18 36

Always 17 34

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 5(10%) of the respondents was never, 10(20%) of the
respondents was sometimes, 18(36%) of the respondents were frequently, 17(34%) of the respondents
was always. Thus majority of the parents’ frequent help with their children assignments.
 Talk about school

Talk about school Frequency percentage

Never 0 0

Sometimes 7 14

Frequently 15 30

Always 28 10

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 0(0%) of the respondents was never, 7(14%) of the
respondents was sometimes, 15(30%) of the respondents were frequently, 5(10%) of the respondents
was always. Thus majority of the parents’ always talk about school.

Listen to child’s reading

Listen to child’s reading Frequency percentage

Never 15 30

Sometimes 6 12

Frequently 14 28
 Always 15 30

Total 50 100

Parental involvement at school shows that 15(30%) of the respondents was never, 6(12%) of the
respondents was sometimes, 14(28%) of the respondents was frequently, 15(30%) of the respondents
was always. Thus majority of the parents’ listen to their child’s reading.

TABLE 9: parents’ perception of their own involvement

Perception Frequency percentage

Somewhat important 7 14

Important 20 40

Very important 23 46

TOTAL 50 100

Parents’ perception of their own involvement shows that 7(14%) of the respondents was
somewhat important, 23(46%) of the respondents was important, 20(40%) of the respondents was
very important. Thus majority of the parents’ gave their perception as very important for them to be
involved in their children’s education.

TABLE 10:

Child’s GPA on last report card

GPA Frequency percentage

4.0 6 12
 3.0 - 3.9 20 40

2.0 -2.9 10 20

1.0 – 1.9 9 18

Less than 1.0 5 10

Total 50 100

The analysis of the child’s GPA on last report card shows that 6(12%) of the child GPA of 4.0, 20
(40%) of the children GPA have between 3.0 – 3.9 GPA, 20(40%) of the children GPA have between
2.0 – 2.9 GPA, 10(20%) of the children GPA have between 1.0 -1.9 GPA, 9 (18%) of the children
GPA have between less than 1.0 GPA 5 (10%). Thus majority of the children GPA was having
between 3.0 – 3.9 GPA (See table 10).

CONCLUSION, SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:

It is evident from the results of the parent survey that BILINGUAL HIGH SCHOOL LE
BERCEAU DES ANGES parents are involved in their children’s lives. They are somewhat more
involved at home than at school which concurs with other studies. LE BERCEAU DES ANGES has
created an organization dedicated to improving parent involvement and parent-school relationships.
A family resource room has been set up with a library of pertinent books, videos, and other valuable
resources to help the families of Pepin Elementary students understand and develop important
relationships which may aid their children’s development.

Parent’s level of education, has little to do with parent’s desires and expectations for their children.
The fact that the parents who responded to the survey indicated a high level of involvement made it
difficult to find a relationship between the level of parent involvement and student’s success.
 CHAPTER 5.

DISCUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION.

Introduction:

This chapter, present the summary of the study, recommendation, suggestion for further study
and conclusion.

5.1) SUMMARY:

This study is in to find out the effect of parental involvement on students’ academic achievement
of students in secondary in Yaoundé VI. In other to achieve this, the study was divided into 5
chapters.

The backgrounds of the study, three specific objectives were stated:

 To investigate the effect of parenting style on student academic achievement.

 To find out the effect of socio- economic factors on students’ academic achievement.
 Determine the effect of parent teacher association on student’s academic achievement
Three research questions were also asked:

1. In what way do parents get involved in assisting them attain academic success?

2. Extent of Parental Involvement.

a. How often do parents provide for their children with educational support?

b. How often do parents check their children homework or school activities?

c. How often do parents communicate with their children’s teachers?

Chapter two, the study was limited to parental involvement; parenting style, socio- economic factors
and parents’ teacher association effect students’ academic achievement in secondary school. Here,
several materials were consulted: the concept of parental involvement, types of parental involvement,
effects of parental involvement, reasons for lack of parental involvement, getting involved, standard
for parent involvement, benefit of parental involvement, the impacts of parental involvement, barriers
to parental involvement and how to increase the level of parental involvement on students’ academic
achievement were discussed.

Chapter Three of this study Ecological Systems Theory: Developed by Urie

Bronfenbrenner, this theory emphasizes the multiple levels of influence on a child's
development, including the microsystem (interactions with immediate family), mesosystem
(connections between various microsystems, such as home and school), exosystem (larger
community contexts), and macrosystem (cultural values and beliefs), Human Capital Theory:
This theory posits that parents' educational attainment and skills play a significant role in their
involvement in their child's education, Human capital theory, parents who possess higher
levels of education and knowledge are more likely to be engaged and involved in their child's
learning and academic progress, Expectancy-Value Theory: This theory posits that individuals'
choices and behaviors are influenced by their expectations of success and the perceived value of
the activity . Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study the total population for the
study was for secondary school students in Yaoundé VI.

Chapter four of this study; frequency and simple percentage were used for demographic variables.

Chapter five of this studies; discussion, recommendation as well as suggestions for further study and
conclusion.

5.2) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTHER STUDIES AND THE WAY FORWARD

Our main aim is to explore strategies and recommendations that address these challenges,
creating a supportive and inclusive environment that empowers parents to actively contribute to
their children's educational journey. By bridging the gap between research and practice, we
aspire to foster effective collaboration between parents and educational institutions for the
benefit of students' academic success and holistic development. Overcoming misconceptions
about the role of parental involvement requires a multifaceted approach that involves educators,
parents, and the broader community.
 To The Government:

Government can develop explicit parental involvement policies that outline the
expectations, opportunities, and benefits associated with parental engagement.

Policies should be communicated to parents regularly and should be easily accessible.

By implementing Parental Involvement Policies, schools and educators can promote effective
parental involvement, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where parents are
actively engaged in their child's education. These practices can lead to improved academic
outcomes, increased motivation, and enhanced overall well-being for students. By formalizing
the importance of parental involvement, schools can help dispel misconceptions and create a
culture that values and encourages parental engagement. Approach helps dispel misconceptions
by demonstrating that parental involvement is valued and integral to the school community.

To Teacher And School Authorities

Educators and schools play a crucial role in raising awareness about the benefits and
importance of parental involvement.

They can organize workshops, seminars, and parent education sessions to provide
information and dispel common misconceptions. Also, Provide resources and opportunities for
parent education and support.

Offer webinars on topics such as effective parenting strategies, supporting learning at home,
or understanding the school curriculum.

Provide access to resources, such as books, websites, or online platforms, that offer guidance
on how parents can actively engage in their child's education.

By sharing research findings and success stories, parents can gain a better understanding of
how their involvement positively impacts their child's educational journey.

Establishing clear and consistent communication channels between schools and parents is
key to addressing misconceptions. Schools should proactively communicate with parents,
sharing information about the various ways they can be involved and the specific benefits of
their involvement.

To parents.

- Parents should provide support and resources.

- Parents should assist their children at home so as to boost their children academic
achievement.
- They should create parents teacher relationship about their children education.

To Future Researchers

- Future researchers are recommended to address these limitations and criticisms by

conducting longitudinal studies.
- Comparative studies across diverse contexts, intervention studies, and incorporating the
perspectives of parents.
- Additionally, the topic remains relevant in educational policy-making, addressing the
achievement gap, establishing strong school-home partnerships, promoting holistic
development, empowering parents, and considering multicultural perspectives.

5.3) Conclusions:

In conclusion, the effects of parental involvement on students' academic achievement are

significant and relevant in the field of education. This topic has been explored through the case
study of LE BERCEAU DES ANGES IN YAOUNDÉ VI, Cameroon, shedding light on the
specific ways in which parental involvement influences students' academic achievements.
Through a mixed-methods research approach, it has been found that parental involvement has a
positive impact on various aspects of students' educational experiences, including academic
performance, motivation, attendance, and overall educational attainment. Specific forms of
parental involvement, such as support in homework completion, communication with teachers,
and participation in school activities, have been identified as crucial factors contributing to
improved academic outcomes. However, it is important to acknowledge the limitations and
criticisms associated with this topic, such as challenges in establishing causality and measuring
parental involvement accurately. The contextual factors, including socioeconomic status, cultural
norms, and parental constraints, also influence the extent and nature of parental involvement.
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