Impact of Parental Involvement in Homework on Children’s learning

Our service as the principal in a very remote school under Mongar District evoked our conscience in realizing the impact of parental involvement in homework on children’s learning. Being in the farm with many daily chores and activities, the parents’ concern for children’s learning was left as a secondary option.

The parents have vital roles to play in the life of a child. The involvement of parents determines the future of the child, and the parental involvement was seen as a means to bridge the gap between the school and home. Family is the primary cell of society where the child's upbringing must begin since his birth.

The researcher used the qualitative approach and phenomenology as a research design. The study involved twelve interview participants, comprising of 3 principals, 3 teachers, 3 students and 3 parents from the participating schools in Yadi Cluster under Mongar District. The data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and then analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, and compared to previous research gleaned from the extensive literature review.

The findings of the study reveal that there are contextual factors that contribute to less parental involvement in their children’s homework. There is a lack of parental care, especially in terms of academic support from parents in their children's learning in the remote setting of Bhutan. Basic education for parents is felt highly required to enable them to realize their support for their children in writing homework to perform better in the school. Non-formal Education (NFE) centers are recommended to be the platform to address the issues.