Education in Austerity: Exploring Parental Participation in Supporting Community Schools in Two Villages of Eastern Zambia

The purpose of this study was to explore parental participation in supporting village community schools in two villages of Eastern Zambia. The involvement of parents in their children’s education has long been considered by educational researchers as a significant factor in positively impacting children’s success. A qualitative case study design was used based on naturalistic phenomenological philosophy that views reality as multi-layered, interactive and a social experience. The interpretive method was preferable because it takes into account the significance of context in relation to meaning. The target population were head teachers, parents, members of the Parent Community School Committee (PCSC), teachers, civic and village headmen. The study found that the role of parents and PCSC members in sampled schools mainly focused on infrastructural development of schools and mobilization of communities for material contributions and labour to the schools. Construction meetings were compulsory for all members of the community and failure to participate in community construction attracted a fine of a chicken or confiscation of household goods such as buckets or pots. The study recommended inter alia that the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders should support community schools by providing adequate learning and teaching requisites in schools.