This research focuses on the issue of parent involvement at selected secondary schools in the Zeerust District of the North West Province in order to gain an understanding of relevant participants’ views on the following aspects that relate to the management of parent involvement: the concept of parent involvement, ways in which parent involvement should be realised, its benefits and challenges, as well as strategies to improve the management of parent involvement in the education of learner children. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping spheres and her typology of parent involvement, as well as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. These frameworks provided a meaningful lens for interpreting data and making recommendations in the final chapter. The researcher undertook an extensive literature study and conducted interviews with principals, SGB chairpersons, as well as selected SGB parent members and other active and inactive parents from the selected schools in the Zeerust district. The research shows, inter alia, that parent involvement has various benefits and that it faces several challenges which affect the management thereof. Benefits concern improvement in terms of academic performance of learners, provision of teaching and learning resources, relationships between parents and the school, learner motivation and school attendance. Challenges to parent involvement that were identified were time constraints of parents, poor communication between home and school, parents’ lack of interest and commitment, principals’ limitations in terms of the management of parent involvement, parents’ limited education, negative parental attitudes and negative teacher attitudes. Key recommendations were made in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s micro, exo- and macrosystem for addressing the management of parent involvement in a synergetic manner. They concerned, inter alia, the national Department of Basic Education in the macrosystem, provincial Departments of Basic Education in the exosystem and schools and parents in the microsystem. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Parental involvement plays a very important role in the development of a child’s formal education. This study explored various management strategies that might serve as guidelines to improve parental involvement in primary schools. The conceptual framework that informed this study was factors that determine school effectiveness as well as Epstein’s theory of overlapping spheres and her typology on parental involvement that served as the theoretical framework. A qualitative research approach was used for this study, as it allowed the researcher to conduct in-depth interviews with six principals in Southern Tshwane primary schools and examined relevant documents to collect data. The research indicates that most schools comprehend the importance of parental involvement, yet lack structured implementation frameworks for parental involvement. The study recommends that schools need to plan, manage and implement a parental involvement programme according to the unique circumstances of the school. / Ukubandakanyeka kwabazali kudlala indima ebalulekile kakhulu ekuthuthukiseni imfundo esemthethweni yengane. Lolucwaningo luhlola amasu ahlukahlukene okuphatha angase asebenze njengemihlahlandlela yokuthuthukisa ukubandakanyeka kwabazali ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi ase Ningizimu neTshwane. Umhlahlandlela womqondo owazisa lolucwaningo yizici ezenza ukusebenza kahle ezikoleni kanye nenkolelo ka-Epstein yezinhlaka eziqhamukayo ekubandakanyeni kwabazali okwakungumhlahlandlela wemfundo. Indlela yokucwaninga eyasetshenziswa kulolucwaningo yenza ukuthi umcwaningi aqhube izingxoxo ezijulile nothishanhloko abayisithupha bezikole zamabanga aphansi ase Ningizimu neTshwane, futhi wahlola nemibhalo efanele ukuqoqa imininingwane. Ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi izikole eziningi zinalo ulwazi lokubaluleka kokubandakanya abazali kodwa azinazo izinhlaka ezihlelekile zokwenza ukuthi abazali babandakanyeke. Ucwaningo lukhuthaza ukuthi izikole zidinga ukuhlela, ukuphatha nokusebenzisa uhlelo lokubandakanya abazali ngokuvumelana nezimo ezihlukile zesikole. / U dzhenelela ha vhabebi ndi tshipida tsha ndeme tsha u aluwa ha pfunzo ya vhana. Tsedzuluso ino yo sedzulusa ndila dzo fhambanaho dza u langula dzine dza shumisiwa sa nyeletshedzo dza u khwinisa u dzhenelela ha vhabebi kha zwikolo zwa fhundzo dza fhasi Tshitirikini tsha Tshipembe ha Tshwane. Tsedzuluso ino yo di sendeka nga zwithu zwine zwa bveledza tshumelo ya maimo a ntha a zwikolo na pfunzo khulwane ya Epstein ya masia a no shumisana kha u dzhenelela ha vhabebi zwine zwa shumisiwa sa maga a kuhumbulele. Tsedzuluso ino yo shumisa maitele a u sedzulusa a qualitative, ngauri a tendela musedzulusi u vhudzisa mbudziso dzo dzudzanywaho na thoho dza tshikolo dza rathi dza zwikolo zwa fhasi Tshitirikini tsha Tshipembe ha Tshwane, na u sedzulusa manwalo o no yelana na tsedzuluso ino kuvhanganya ndivho. Tsedzuluso i sumbedza uri vhunzhi ha zwikolo zwi dzhiela nzhele u dzhenelela ha vhabebi, fhedzi a zwina maitele o dzudzanywaho a u eletshedza u dzhenelela avhabebi. Tsedzuluso ino i themendela uri zwikolo zwi tea u dzudzanya, u langula na u shumisa maitele o themendelwaho a u katela u dzhenelela ha vhabebi uya nga u fhambana-fhambana ha nyimele dza zwikolo. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)