PI PROGRAMMES IN THE CHINESE EDUCATION SYSTEM

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HOLISTIC EDUCATION

Traditionally, according to Nziramasanga (1999:61), the Zimbabwean education system was such that the family and the extended family, the community, took an active part in it and every adult felt responsible for guiding children in what is respectable, ethical and good. He goes further to assert that education was essentially an induction into the culture and cultural norms that interpreted life that guided human relationships and behaviours, in addition to passing on skills for survival (Nziramasanga, 1999: 61). Leading children to what was considered to be a good human being (well behaved and morally upright, characterised by qualities such as responsibility, solidarity, hospitality, devotion to family and the welfare of the community) was the pride of parents and families (Nziramasanga, 1999: 62). This process was guarded with so much concern that any evidence of slackening or problems in behaviour and relationships called for further education and counselling by the extended family throughout life (Nziramasanga, 1999:62). This was so because both parents and teachers believed that character education commenced at home and parents had a key position as role models since much of the values such as self-worth, respect for elders and authority, responsibility and honesty were learnt at home (cf Glanz, 2006:40).
Vision 2020 (cited in Nziramasanga, 1999:74) confirms this perception when it asserts that “the development of an individual’s morality and sense of belonging takes place within the family”, hence the view that the family and home are the first place of learning and of life-long learning which makes them irreplaceable institutions in the learning process (Glanz, 2006:40). For parents to achieve this primary responsibility there is need to provide them with educational opportunities which will enable them to interact with educators for the purpose of developing such parenting skills (Burke & Picus, 2001:3; Kgaffe, 2001:17). This kind of interaction between educators and parents concurs with the TQM initiative. It demands that through communication the individual must be made to know the direction and aims of the school and training must be put in place so as to enable them to take charge of their improvement in the change processes (cf Hampton & Mumford, 1998:414; Parsons, 1994:21). To that aim, Zimbabwean policy-makers had to put certain statutes in place as a way of legalising the involvement of parents so as to arrest the growing need for education against the background of a shrinking economy as holistic education was sought.

THE ZANU (PF) MANIFESTO OF 1980

ZANU (PF) was one of the major political parties which waged a liberation struggle alongside the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (PF ZAPU) which culminated in the attainment of independence in 1980 (Zvobgo, 1996:40). The party went further to win the first general elections which were held in 1980 and it had the task of forming a government of national unity embracing PF ZAPU and the regime (The Rhodesian Front) they were fighting against. During the colonial era, the policies and political ideology was characterised by racial discrimination in education and society as well ((Nziramasanga, 1999: 1; Zvobgo, 1996:39; 2004:163). These are some of the imbalances and inequalities that the education reforms embarked on in 1980 were meant to eliminate as attempts were being made to democratise the education system (Nziramasanga, 1999: 1; Zvobgo, 1996:39; 2004:163). According to that view, the principles for education which were spelt out in the ZANU (PF) Manifesto of 1980 (p12) were:
• The abolition of racial education in order to develop in the young Zimbabweans a non-racial attitude.
• The establishment of a free and compulsory primary and secondary education for all children of Zimbabwe. There was, therefore, not going to be any discrimination in the provision of education on grounds of colour, creed, tribe, culture, sex, religion, economic, background or ability/disability.
• As stated in (2) above, that sex discrimination in education be abolished.
• Education be considered and recognised by the people of Zimbabwe as a basic right (and not a privilege) for all young as well as the adults.
• Education be utilised to transform society. Education was thus seen as an essential process in bringing about change in the socio-economic life of the people.
• Principally practices such as Education With Production (EWP) were envisaged as revolutionary approaches to the preparation of the young for the world of work.

CHAPTER 1 POSTULATION OF THE PROBLEM, THE AIM OF THIS STUDY AND THE METHOD OF INVESTIGATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.2.1 Total Quality Management (TQM)
1.3 SUMMARY
1.4 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
1.4.1 Introduction
1.4.2 Statement of the problem
1.5 AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD
1.6.1 Ethical Values
1.6.2 Hypotheses
1.6.3 Validity and Reliability
1.6.4 Method
1.7 CHAPTER DIVISION
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.9 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMMES
2.1. INTRODUCTIO
2.1.1. Colonial Heritage
2.1.2. Universalisation of the Zimbabwean Primary Education system
2.1.3. Justification for Parental Involvement Programmes
2.1.4. Transformational Leadership
2.1.5. Total Quality Management (TQM)
2.1.6. Home-School Relationship
2.2 THE HISTORICAL OUTLOOK OF PI PROGRAMMES IN THE US
2.2.1 First Parent Cooperation
2.2.2 Parent Cooperatives
2.2.2 The Role of Mothers Emphasised
2.2.3 Head Start
2.2.5 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965)
2.2.6 Follow through programme (1967 Employment Opportunity Act)
2.2.7 White House Conference on early childhood involvement
2.2.8 1990-2000
2.2.9 Family Resource Centres
2.2.10 No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) (Public Law 102-110, 2002)
2.2.10.1 TItle 1 of the NCLB Act
2.2.11 The Improving the Americal Schools Act of 1994
2.2.12 NCLB definition of parental involvement
2.2.13 Anti-Drug Media Campaign (2004)
2.2.14 Charter Schools (2006)
2.2.15 Conclusion
2.3 PI PROGRAMMES IN THE CHINESE EDUCATION SYSTEM
2.3.1 Introduction
2.3.2 Non-Involvement
2.3.3 Home-based involvement
2.3.4 Conclusion
2.4 PI PROGRAMMES IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.4.1 Introduction
2.4.2 The South African Schools Act, Act No 84 of 1996, Republic of South Africa (RSA) (1996a)
2.4.3 The functions of School Governing Bodies (SGB) in South African Sools
2.4.4 Conclusion
2.5 THE CONCEPT OF PI
2.5.1 What is PI?
2.5.2 PI and the Education of Children
2.5.3 Benefits of PI
2.6 MODELS OF PI
2.6.1 Epstein’s Model of PI
2.6.1.1 Type 1: Parenting
2.6.1.2 Type 2: Communicating
2.6.1.3 Type 3: Volunteering
2.6.1.4 Type 4: Learning at home
2.6.1.5 Type 5: Decision making
2.6.1.6 Type 6: Collaborating with the community
2.6.1.6.1 Involvement
2.6.1.6.2 Engagement
2.6.1.6.3 Empowerment
2.6.1.6.4 Ownership
2.6.1.7 Conclusion
2.6.2 Swap’s Model of PI
2.6.2.1 The Protective Model
2.6.2.2 School-to-Home Transmission Model
2.6.2.3 The Curriculum Enrichment Model
2.6.2.4 The Partnership Model
2.6.2.6 Conclusion
2.6.3 Comer’s Model of PI
2.6.3.1 The planning and Management Team
2.6.3.2 The Parent Team
2.6.3.3 The Student and Staff Support Team
2.6.4 Kruger’s Model of PI
2.6.4.1 Devising a strategic plan for PI
2.6.4.2 Creating and inviting school climate
2.6.4.3 Parents and teacher instruction in elements of PI
2.6.4.4 Communication between the school and the parental home
2.6.4.5 Class parents committees
2.6.4.6 Opportunities for contact
2.6.4.7 Drawing up an annual programme
2.6.4. Conclusion
2.7 ATTITUDES OF PARENTS AND EDUCATION MANAGERS TOWARDS PI PROGRAMMES
2.7.1 Introduction
2.7.2 Attitudes of SDC/A chairpersons towards PI programmes
2.7.3 Attitudes of Education Managers towards PI programmes
2.8 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3 THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK WHICH GOVERNS THE MANAGEMENT OF PI PROGRAMMES IN ZIMBABWEAN SCHOOLS
3.1 INTRODUCTI
3.2 A QUALITY AUDIT
3.3 DECENTRALISATION
3.4 HOLISTIC EDUCATION
3.5 CONCLUSION
3.6 THE ZANU (PF) MANIFESTO OF 1980
3.7 CONCLUSION
3.8 THE EDUCATION ACT OF 1987
3.9 THE EDUCATION ACT OF 1996
3.10 THE EDUCATION ACT OF 2006
3.10.1 The School Development Committee (SDC)
3.10.2 The School Development Association (SDA)
3.11 CONCLUSION
3.12 MEMBERSHIP OF SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ASSOCIATION
3.13 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4 THE PROCEDURES OF DATA COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND THE FRAMEWORK OF ANALYSIS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESES
4.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
4.4 RESEARCH METHODS
4.4.1 The Questionnaires
4.4.1.1 The questionnaire format for education managers
4.4.1.2 The questionnaire format for SDC/A chairpersons
4.4.2 Scale for scoring of responses
4.4.3 Distribution of questionnaires
4.4.4 Measures to ensure validity and reliability
4.4.5 Data collection
4.4.6 Data processing procedures
4.4.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5 FINDINGS OF DATA GATHERED
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.1.1 Sample size and response
5.1.2 Respondents
5.2 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE
5.3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS OF RESULTS
5.3.1 Respondents’ perceptions of the concept of parental volvement
5.3.2 Respondents’ perceptions of the benefits of parental involvement programmes
5.3.3 The management of parental involved programmes
5.3.4 Communication
5.3.4.1 Issues parents and education managers discuss
5.3.5 Attitudes towards (PI) programmes
5.3.5.1 Attitudes of SDC/A Chairpersons towards PI
5.3.5.2 Attitudes of education managers towards PI programmes
5.3.6 Respondents’ perceptions of the management style associated with PI programm
5.3.7 The legal documents for parental involvement
5.3.8 Summary
CHAPTER 6 FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS