Managing community and parent partnership in the iLembe district of Kwazulu-Natal Province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate and examine the management and leadership skills that are needed for managing community and parent partnership in the Ilembe District of the KwaZulu-Natal province. The study sought to determine how ineffective management and leadership of parent partnership in rural schools can be detrimental to school, learners, parents and the community at large. The literature study investigated existing theories, programmes, management and leadershipof parental participation and partnership. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping sphere and her typology of parentalinvolvement. These frameworks emerging from the review of literatureprovided an expressive perspective for the interpretation of data and recommendations in the final chapter of the study.The study used aqualitative methodologyapproach with a case studyresearch design. This was deemed appropriate as data wascollectedthrough the medium of semi-structured individual interviews andfield notes with 15 participants,and data were analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that in most schools, ineffective management and leadership of parental participation exist through relationship limitation between the schools and the parents and the community. The study established that ineffective leadership and management of parental, family and community participation revolve around issues like indifferentattitudes of parents, poor communication and a lack ofcordial relationship between parents and the schools. The study recommended that comprehensive knowledge concerning the phenomenon of parent, family and community partnership shouldbecompiled into a national policy on parent, family and community partnership,which is considered vital forrural schoolsin South Africa.