PTA’s to be renamed Parent Association of Ghana

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) would be renamed Parent Association of Ghana (PAG) and made autonomous upon the completion and adoption of its new constitution.

The Association has undergone several transitions to position itself to help second cycle schools provide and improve on the quality of education in the country.

Mr Vincent Atoore, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the Parent Teacher Associations, said the autonomy would allow the various PTA’s some sovereignty in which they would stand independently and manage their finances in order to support the schools to run effectively.

Mr Atoore who was speaking at the weekend during the PTA general meeting of second cycle schools in Bolgatanga to announce to members, the autonomy nature of the Association.

He cautioned that the collection of PAG levy was subject to strict guidelines that must be adhered to and receive prior approval from parents, school authorities, regional and national boards before a special levy can be taken to support any urgent need of a school.

He said currently 33 senior high schools and technical institutions were members of the Association and appealed to the other schools to get on board, so as to have collective efforts to address issues that would be affecting the education of students in the various SHS and technical schools.

Mr Atoore urged the various PTA chairs to collaborate with the various heads of schools for the development of the schools and benefit of the students.

The PTA is an Association of Parents with wards in government assisted senior high schools, which was registered in 2013 and would focus at redefining the role of the PTA in promoting quality education in the country.

Mr Richard Adongo, Upper East Regional Vice Chairman of the Association in a presentation on the role of the PTA in providing quality education, noted that the Association was committed to creating enabling environment to enhance teaching and learning of students in the various schools.

Mr Adongo said the PTA would at all times promote the welfare of students in member schools, secure adequate laws for the care and protection of students, and forge closer relationship between the home and the school so that teachers and parents may co-operate in the education of students.

He indicated that the Association would undertake development projects at the request of the school management and manage the Association’s accounts by keeping accurate records for accountability and auditing purposes.

Mr Adongo called on stakeholders to come to terms with the role of the Association to avoid poor coordination and communication of stakeholders at all levels, power struggle between some school heads and PTA executives, unnecessary interference in PTA governance by some school heads and abuse of office by some PTA executives, which includes over stay in office and poor accountability by some PTA executives to parents.