Parents in Taking Responsibility to Reduce Delayed Enrollment of form One Students in Public Secondary Schools in Ludewa District

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which parents are involved to take responsibility in reducing delay enrollment of Form one students in public secondary school in Ludewa District. The social capital Theory (1993) guided this study. This study employed a convergent research design under a mixed-methods approach. The study include a target population of 28 public secondary schools, 28 head teachers, 460 teachers, 112 parents, 2,578 students (Form One) and one District Secondary Education Officer, totaling 3,179 participants. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to select respondents. The sample included 6 public Secondary schools, 1 District Secondary Education Officer from Ludewa District, 6 head of school, 18 parents, 100 teachers and 264 students totaling 389 respondents. The study utilized questionnaires and interview guides for data collection. A total of 2 educational planning and administration experts from Mwenge Catholic University validated the instruments. A pilot study was conducted in 2 public secondary schools, 26 students, 2 heads of school and 10 teachers in Ludewa District. The reliability of the Likert-type questionnaires was ensured using Cronbach's Alpha, with values of .887 for teachers and .934 for students. The trustworthiness of the interview guide was ensured through peer debriefing and triangulation. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26, with descriptive statistics (Means, Frequencies, and Percentages) for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data following Creswell and Creswell (2023). The study adhered to ethical considerations throughout the research process. The study found that level of parental involvement in taking responsibility for reducing delayed enrollment of Form One students among public secondary schools in Ludewa District is low. The study concludes that parents in Ludewa District fulfill their responsibilities however, to a low extent on reducing delayed enrollment of form one students in public secondary schools. The DSEO should organize capacity-building workshops and training sessions involving parents, local leaders, religious figures, and youth groups to build trust and address cultural barriers over time.