4.2.2 Parental Involvement
Parental / guardian involvement in the EIP project was generally high, with 46.3 % reported as very involved, 34.1 % slightly involved, 17.1 % somewhat involved, and only 2.4 % not involved at all. Household heads were slightly more often male( 22) than female( 19), with involvement patterns broadly strong for both: in male-headed households, 54.5 % reported very involved, 27.3 % somewhat, 13.6 % slightly, and 4.5 % not at all; in female-headed households, 36.8 % reported very involved, 57.9 % slightly, 5.3 % somewhat, and 0 % not at all.
Figure 3: Parental / Guardian School Involvement by Household Head Gender
The most common forms of parental / guardian involvement and support were attending sponsorship meetings / events( 95.1 %) and assisting with documentation( 22.0 %), indicating practical, hands-on participation.
It is key to note that student reports on guardian involvement should be interpreted in light of Malawi’ s sociocultural norms, where fathers are typically less involved in day-to-day caregiving and instead shoulder a greater financial responsibility for the household.
Nearly half of students reported that their parents / guardians were highly involved in the EIP project( 46 %: 50 % F, 43 % M), 17 % that they were moderately involved( 10 % F, 24 % M), 34 % of students reported that their parents / guardians were slightly involved( 40 % F, 29 % M), and one male said that they were not involved at all( 0 % F, 5 % M). Students were asked about the type of involvement of their parent / guardian, with almost all students reporting that their guardians attended sponsorship program meetings and events( 95 %: 100 % F, 90 % M). However, only 22 % of guardians were reported to have assisted with required documentation or paperwork( 20 % F, 24 % M).
4.2.3 Education is Power Camp
The EIP camp is an annual event conducted over the last 2 years, bringing together all The Sonder Project EIP students from within Kasungu district. Over the period of a full week, students are gathered to interact with academic staff, The Sonder Project officials, as well as representatives from the Central East Education Division Office and other project partners. The aim is to mentor students in academic endeavours, and particularly to provide intensive support on subjects where they demonstrate poor performance. In addition to the academic aspects, the camp also provides opportunities for mentorship in life skills and a chance for social interaction among students.
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