Parents' perceptions of school life quality: a comparative analysis of trends in Tanzanian, Indonesian and Kyrgyz schools (2021-2022)

Parents’ perceptions of school life quality extend beyond academics to encompass holistic aspects of their children's well-being, including health, social, and emotional development. This article reports on parents’ perceptions of school life quality across Tanzania, Indonesia, and Kyrgyzstan from 2021 to 2022. School life quality is examined beyond academics, encompassing communication, extracurricular activities, governance, and emotional support for students. Data from 63 Islamic schools were analyzed to understand trends and key dimensions influencing parental perceptions towards school life quality based on the students’ outcomes and interaction with teachers using self-development instruments consisting of 10 items. Data was extracted from the NAMA Foundation database from initiatives under School Management and School Improvement to empower parents, teachers, and students. The findings reveal that, although all three countries showed improvements in parental perceptions over the study period, significant differences arose due to localized socioeconomic conditions affecting access to resources and priorities, cultural values shaping educational expectations and community norms, and the influence of policy changes and regional diversity. Kyrgyzstan showed the highest improvement in teacher-parent communication, Indonesia excelled in extracurricular engagement and governance, and Tanzania showed steady progress with opportunities for further development enhancing parental involvement, addressing infrastructure gaps, and expanding access to extracurricular activities, which could further enrich students' overall school experience. The study stressed the importance of tailored strategies in enhancing school life quality to foster better parental engagement and student outcomes