Author(s): Hessel Oosterbeek and Kayal K

Abstract: Parental trust plays a critical role in shaping educational investment, yet little is known about how it differs across rural and urban contexts in India. This study examines parental trust and perceptions of school quality among families in Tamil Nadu, using a qualitative case study approach. Semi-structured interviews with 25 parents, drawn equally from a rural village and the urban center of Chennai, explored how families interpret school reliability, accountability, and value. Findings reveal that rural trust is anchored in immediate, tangible factors such as teacher presence, timely delivery of textbooks, and functional infrastructure. Even minor disruptions, like delayed supplies, eroded confidence and in some cases led to school withdrawal. By contrast, urban parents grounded trust in institutional reputation, communication systems, and anticipated returns to higher education and social mobility. While both groups valued education as central to their children’s futures, their logics of trust diverged: rural families relied on interpersonal trust in teachers and headmasters, while urban families invested in institutional trust tied to brand and outcomes. The study argues that trust functions as a precondition for human capital investment, extending existing economic models of schooling. Policy implications include rebuilding tangible reliability in rural schools, regulating transparency and accountability in urban schools, and leveraging digital tools to bridge trust gaps. The findings underscore that without trust, even well-designed reforms may falter, but with it, families are more willing to sustain educational commitments.

DOI: 10.22271/27891607.2024.v4.i2d.338

Pages: 317-325 | Views: 350 | Downloads: 120

Download Full Article: Click Here