| Summary: | <p>With an increased recognition of the poor quality and limited availability of schools
provided by the government, low cost private schools are experiencing exponential
growth across Pakistan. By drawing on qualitative, semi structured interviews with 15
low income mothers of children enroled in primary low cost private schools in Lahore,
this study explores the way mothers are responding to this development, focussing on
maternal conceptualisations of the value of education, and the behaviours they adopt at
home and in relation to the school in order to support their children’s academic
achievement. This study finds that mothers tend to prefer private schools in place of
public schools. The responses indicate this is due to increased private school availability
within poorer communities, English language being offered as the medium of
instruction, the presence of more and qualified teachers and the availability of basic
infrastructure such as running water and electricity. Qualitative inquiries regarding
behaviours suggest, despite limited resources and at times, illiteracy, mothers are
determined to engage with their children’s academic performance in a variety of ways
at home and in relation to the school. At home, they tend to involve themselves by
checking their children’s homework, assisting in exam preparation and encouraging
siblings to provide academic guidance to one another. Importantly, they also enrol their
children in after school private tutoring as a way to provide indirect academic support
to their children. In relation to the school, mothers regularly attend parent teacher
meetings, and if necessary, visit the school in order to discuss their child’s progress,
both academic and discipline related. Importantly, their interaction with the school is
mostly limited to parent teacher meetings that are initiated by the teachers. The
findings of this study emphasise the need for future scholarly attention on exploring
low income mothers prioritisation of private tutoring as a popular form of indirect
academic support to their children. Additionally, the findings call for an investigation of
the limited interaction between low cost schools and parents, particularly mothers, as
they appear to be the more involved parents in low income communities in Lahore and
exhibit a desire to engage more actively.</p>
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