Sound teacher−parent relationships are essential for young learners’ holistic
development. Teachers and parents should share information about learners’ academic
and social difficulties to enhance the school curriculum. However, developing sound
teacher−parent relationships in rural areas is challenging because of embedded
socioeconomic and cultural factors and parents’ low literacy levels. This study aimed to
explore the barriers that hinder the cultivation of positive teacher−parent relationships in
rural foundation phase classes. The study employed Epstein’s Theory of Six Types of
Involvement to assess what makes it difficult for teachers to cultivate such relationships.
The study adopted a qualitative, multiple case study design within an interpretivist
methodological paradigm. It employed purposeful sampling to select teachers in the
foundation phase with more than three years’ teaching experience and parents of
learners in the foundation phase. The data were collected using focus group discussion,
document analysis and thematic analysis. The findings confirm that sound
teacher−parent relationships are lacking, especially in rural foundation phase classes
and that context-based strategies must be developed for teachers to cultivate positive
relationships with the parents of learners in the foundation phase. The findings of this
study highlight that teacher in rural areas and the education community at large are
aware of the challenges faced by teachers in cultivating positive teacher−parent
relationships in rural foundation phase schools. By understanding these challenges,
teachers and parents can develop approaches to eliminate at least some of the
challenges and cultivate positive teacher−parent relationships.

Keywords: foundation phase, learner, parent, rural areas, teachers