This study investigates the effect of the parent-teacher interface on parental involvement in student learning achievement in rural Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools in South-Western Uganda. Employing a mixed-methods approach grounded in post-positivist and social constructivist paradigms, data were collected from 1,060 respondents across 49 USE schools, including teachers, head teachers, students, parents/guardians, and district education officials.
Descriptive statistics revealed a moderate level of parental involvement (pooled Mean = 3.23, SD = 1.16), with higher engagement in provision of academic materials and behavioral guidance, but lower participation in proactive academic support such as homework assistance, tutoring, and extracurricular engagement. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between parent-teacher interface dimensions and parental involvement in student learning. Strongest associations were found for communication with administration and teachers (r = .576, p < .001), school public relations (r = .434, p < .001), and attendance at meetings (r = .436, p < .001). These results affirm that stronger parent-teacher interfaces promote higher parental engagement in academic material provision, discipline management, and follow-up on student progress.
This study contributes empirical evidence from a low-resource educational context and underlines the critical role of parent-teacher interface in enhancing parental involvement. It recommends strengthening school communication mechanisms, promoting parent participation in academic and extracurricular programs, and encouraging community-school partnerships to improve learner achievement in rural USE settings.