The Gendered Parenting Dynamics: A Qualitative Inquiry into Pre-Service Teachers' Academic Adjustment in South-western Uganda

Abstract

This study explores the influence of gendered parenting dynamics on the academic adjustment of pre-service teachers in South-western Uganda. A qualitative design utilising secondary thematic analysis was employed, drawing from focus group discussions with 44 pre-service teachers and interviews with 28 parents and 8 university administrators. The findings reveal a complex interplay of familial and institutional factors. Authoritarian parenting, sharply divided along gendered lines with fathers as distant disciplinarians, often hindered the development of student autonomy. This was compounded by experiences of neglect and financial hardship, which paradoxically served as both a significant barrier to performance and a powerful motivator for "academic proving." Furthermore, students faced systemic institutional challenges like poor timetabling. Despite these obstacles, students demonstrated agency through peer support and skill development. The study concludes that academic adjustment in this context is a negotiation between entrenched familial patterns, socioeconomic pressures, and institutional barriers. It necessitates a multi-stakeholder, ecosystem approach. Recommendations include parental sensitisation, pedagogical reforms, enhanced student counselling, and government action to foster a more supportive educational ecosystem for pre-service teachers.