Factors Hindering Parents’ Participation in School Activities in Tanzania: A Case of Arusha District

This study expored factors hindering parents’ participation in school activities in Tanzania, a case of Arusha district. The objectives of the study were to investigate education policies in schools and how they motivate participation in education among the parents, to analyse socioeconomic factors which hinder participation in education among parents, and to suggest mechanisms to improve parents’ participation in education in Arusha District. The study was done in Arusha district in three wards: Olkokola, Kimnyak and Oltrumet. Data were collected from four public secondary schools. The study employed qualitative design. It involved 97 respondents reached through interviews and focus group discussions. These data collection methods were complemented by documentary reviews. The findings of the study indicated that education policies such as Primary Education Development Plan, Secondary Education Development Plan, and Big Results Now do not clearly show how parents’ participation in education activities should be. Further, the study findings showed that the socio-economic status of Maasai, inhibiting cultures against education, hindered parents to fully participate in education activities in Arusha district. The findings furthermore indicated that educating the parents, formulation of parent-teacher association, initiating volunteer programmes, and eradicating negative cultural values among the Maasai were suggested to be some of the measures to improve parents' participation in education in Arusha district. The study made recommendations to improve parents' participation in Arusha district. Some of these recommendations were the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) to formulate policies which include parents and the Government to review curriculum to reflect peoples’ actual environment context like that of Maasai tribe