PARENTS-TEACHERS RELATIONSHIPS IN REMOTE AREA DWELLER SETTLEMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS: AN EDUCATIONAL DILEMMA

Abstract

Based on utopian perspective, parents and teachers should cooperate on matters of teaching and learning that enhance pupils’ learning, but there seems to be a dearth of such cooperation in Remote Area Dweller Settlements primary schools. Thus, this paper examines the nature of relationships between parents and teachers in primary schools in selected Remote Area Dweller settlements of Botswana. The paper is an outcome of the revelation by some teachers that most parents from ethnic minority groups showed lack of interest in their children’s education. This study adopted a qualitative approach and it used an open ended questionnaire, classroom observation, and interviews and field notes to investigate how the language-in-education policy was implemented in linguistically and ethnically diverse situations. The concept of early socialization was used to guide this study. The findings indicate that most parents do not cooperate with teachers in regard to their children’s education, and possible contributory factors were language barrier, ignorance, different cultural practices, illiteracy and poverty. This study concluded that parents and teachers working relationships need to be redressed in order to simultaneously achieve both learners’ academic growth and educational goals.