Impediments of Parents’ Involvement in Supporting Literacy Skills Development among Pre-Primary School Children in Tanzania

Abstract

A child's intellectual, social, and emotional welfare is significantly impacted by the engagement and parenting style of their parents. This paper investigates the obstacles parents face in developing literacy skills among pre-primary school children in Tanzania. The study was conducted in six districts of Tanzania. Using a purposive and snowball sampling strategy, 67 parents—29 men and 38 females—were included in the study. This study used a qualitative technique, with a case study design for data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Data was gathered through focus group discussions (FGDs) and observation. Trustworthiness was realized through credibility, dependability, conformability and transferability. Informed consent was considered, and researchers adhered to the research enterprise norms and principles, by keeping and treating all responses from respondents with high confidentiality. The findings were analysed thematically, yielding several sub-themes. It was discovered that there were various barriers preventing parents from participating in promoting literacy skills development of pre-primary school children. Ultimately, the study suggests that parents should be capacitated inappropriate methods to encourage the development of reading skills in pre-primary schools, as it is critical for parents to support learning both in preschool settings and at home.