The alternative pathway: Factors influencing middle-income parents to choose homeschooling

Menaga Kumar (), Gurdip Kaur Saminder Singh () and Rabiha Maya Adiera Binti Ab Rahim ()

Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, 2024, vol. 8, issue 6, 3129-3139

Abstract: Given that Malaysia is still a developing country with a predominantly middle-income population, understanding the dynamics of homeschooling within this economic context was critical. The objective of this study was therefore to explore the factors influencing middle-income Malaysian parents’ decisions to homeschool their children. This study which was a qualitative case-study, was conducted through in-depth interviews with three middle-income parents’ whose children were currently homeschooling in Malaysia. The self-designed instrument achieved a Kappa score of .74, ensuring reliability of instrument for data collection. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach integrated by Miles et al.’s (2013) three-cycle analytical coding was utilized in analyzing the data. The results from the in-depth interviews revealed four major themes which discussed factors influencing middle-income Malaysian parents’ decisions to homeschool their children. Flexibility and individualized learning, discontent with traditional schooling, children’s ability and disparity in classroom instructions and cultural independence have led many middle-income parents to explore home-schooling as an alternative educational option. The findings in this study uncovered that many parents perceived the home environment as a perfect setting for education. This study has practical implications as it highlighted the importance of creating a more inclusive and effective educational environment within the traditional school environment, hence decreasing the need for parents to choose homeschooling as an educational option.

Keywords: Factors influencing; Homeschooling; Malaysia; Middle income parents. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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