Parental involvement is vital to children's academic success and development. Guided by Epstein’s six types of involvement, this study investigated how parents participate in Intermediate Phase education in rural South Africa. While global models encourage strong school-parent collaboration, rural South African schools continue to experience limited parental engagement, which affects learner outcomes. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected through questionnaires and focus group interviews with 58 purposively selected parents. Findings indicate that while parents value education, socio-economic challenges, limited awareness, and weak school strategies hinder meaningful participation. Many parents view schooling as solely the teacher’s responsibility, particularly in underprivileged areas. The study underscores the need for parental empowerment, inclusive school policies, and culturally relevant approaches. It recommends Epstein’s framework to guide schools in fostering communication, collaboration, and shared accountability to improve learner performance in rural contexts.

Keywords: Parental involvement, rural contexts, shared responsibility, Epstein’s Framework.