Students’ Perceptions of Parental Involvement in United Arab Emirates Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study explores students' perceptions of parental involvement in their education, forms of parental involvement, and barriers to parental involvement in secondary schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A total of 180 students from eighteen schools participated in eighteen focus group interviews from each of the nine educational zones in the UAE. All participants agreed that parental involvement at the secondary school level is important as it motivates students to work hard. However, most of the students prefer that their parents participate in school activities rather than helping them with their studies at home. Barriers to parental involvement at this level include time commitment, level of students' achievement, poor communication skills, students' attitudes, boring activities, parents' attitudes, parents' characteristics, and parents' views of education for girls. Some implications for school administrators are presented to assist in involving more parents at the secondary school level.