Head teacher’s role in fostering school- community partnership: a case of government aided primary school in Abin District- Uganda

SCP is crucial in the realization of quality learning that leads to the achievement of educational outcomes by pupils in academic and other relevant life skills like creative thinking and problem solving. The study explored head teacher’s role in fostering school-community partnership in a government aided primary school in Abim district, North Eastern Uganda and was grounded on the theory of overlapping spheres of influence. The study was guided by a qualitative case study, with semi-structured interviews with the head teacher, chairpersons of the school management committee and Parent-teachers’ association and focus group discussions with seven teachers, seven parents and six pupils. Data was also collected through analyzing documents such as minutes of school of school management committee and parent-teachers’ association, circulars and visitors’ books. The findings revealed that the head teacher was a charismatic leader who used meetings, school and home visits, community leaders and Back to school campaign as main strategies to foster school-community partnership. In addition to head teacher’s charismatic leadership, good academic performance, the existence of two-way communication between home and school, and active executives of the parent-teachers’ association and school management committee enhanced the role of the head teacher in fostering school-community partnership. However, parents’ socio-economic status, low level of parents’ education, negative attitudes of some parents towards education, misconception of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and inconsistency in conducting annual general parents’ meeting were found to be challenges to fostering school-community partnership. All in all, the study revealed that the community perceived school-community partnership as important in that it resulted to pupils’ academic achievement and promoted community involvement in decision-making processes. This study therefore, recommends establishment of school-community partnership policies and empowering all stake holders involved in primary education on their roles in nurturing school-community partnership for pupils’ academic achievement and school improvement