Parental engagement in local cultural activities in schools within the context of early childhood settings in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate parental engagement in local cultural activities in schools within the context of early childhood settings in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality. The study was guided by the Interpretivist paradigm. The research approach for the study was the qualitative approach. The design employed in this study was an exploratory case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select 6 educators for the interview and convenient sampling was used to select 6 parents for interview, semistructured interview guide was adopted as the research instrument. The data was analysed using thematic approach. The study revealed that while parents in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality generally value school cultural activities as platforms for promoting cultural heritage and community cohesion, some view them as secondary to academics, that affect their involvement; parental engagement strengthens cultural knowledge, identity, and relationships within the school community, but challenges like time constraints, financial limitations, and cultural disconnection hindered participation; therefore, schools should improve communication, offer flexible participation options, design inclusive activities, and provide support through workshops and partnerships to encourage broader parental involvement. The study concluded that parents in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality generally hold positive views of school cultural activities. The study recommended that schools should raise awareness on the values and educational benefits of cultural activities, offer flexible engagement opportunities for parent