Beyond the School Boundaries and Formal Curriculum Parental Involvement in Children's Learning in the Perspectives of Teachers.

Children’s learning extends beyond the boundaries of the school.They spend a significant portion of their time at home with their familiesand parents, acquiring knowledge, attitude and skills - both formally andinformally - through parental interactions. Parental involvement is widelyrecognized as an important aspect in fostering children's success. A numberof studies have indicated that such involvement enhances children’sacademic performance, supports their emotional growth, and positivelyinfluences their overall learning process. Nearly 70 years ago, the NepalNational Education Planning Commission had already recommended thenecessity of parental involvement in children's learning. However, itappears that this recommendation has not been effectively implemented todate. Given this, parental involvement in children’s learning is essential.Despite its importance, there appears to be a lack of sufficient studies onthis topic. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to explore how basicschool teachers in Nepal, perceive parental involvement in children’slearning. This study is grounded in a general qualitative method. It wasconducted in three community basic schools located in the Sindhupalchokdistrict, Bagmati province, Nepal. Nine basic school teachers from theseschools were selected as participants through a convenient samplingprocedure. Essential information for the study were generated through in-depth interviews. The findings of this study suggest that parents have notbeen able to engage actively in their children's learning. Several underlyingfactors contribute to the inconsistent and limited involvement of parents intheir children's learning. A significant finding of this study is the critical roleof sociocultural factors in shaping parental involvement in their children'slearning. The traditions, cultural norms, values, and practices prevalent ina society profoundly influence parents' attitudes toward education.Moreover, these sociocultural dimensions also shape parents' perceptions oftheir children's learning processes. The study highlights the complexinterplay of these influences and their potential implications for enhancingparental engagement in educational settings. Thus, alongside otherinfluencing factors, the economic and sociocultural characteristics of asociety are pivotal in determining parental perspectives on their children'seducation and learning engagement.