Leadership and Administration of Parent Partnerships in Rural School Environments: A Case Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership and administration skills that are needed for managing community and parent partnerships in the Ilembe Schools District of the KwaZulu-Natal province. The study aimed to investigate how ineffective management and leadership of parent partnerships in rural schools can be detrimental to schools, learners, parents, and the broader community. The study used a qualitative methodology approach with a case study research design. Data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with fifteen participants. The data was analysed through content analysis, a qualitative research method used to systematically interpret and categorize textual information to identify patterns, themes, and meanings. The findings revealed that in schools, ineffective management and leadership of parental participation exist through relationship limitations between the schools, the parents, and the community. The study recommended that comprehensive knowledge concerning the phenomenon of parent, family, and community partnership should be compiled into a national policy on parent, family, and community partnership, which is considered vital for rural communication and a lack of cordial relationship between parents and the schools in South Africa.