The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially reinstated Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in all Senior High, Technical, and STEM schools nationwide. The move follows a directive from President John Dramani Mahama and is aimed at reinforcing stakeholder collaboration in the delivery of quality education.
In a press release signed by Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at GES, the agency instructed all heads of public second-cycle institutions to operationalize the reinstatement of PTAs with immediate effect. The GES believes the return of PTAs will improve cooperation between parents, teachers, and communities in promoting student success.
Background and Context
Contrary to public perception, PTAs were never abolished. Rather, the collection of PTA dues on school bills was suspended, and the associations were restructured into Parents Associations (PAs). This decision by the GES was intended to address growing concerns about financial burdens on parents and alleged mismanagement of PTA funds.
As part of the Free SHS policy, the GES suspended PTA dues in order to remove any financial barriers to accessing education. Additionally, the reorganization into a Parents Association was designed to reduce undue teacher influence and empower parents to take more active roles in decisions related to their children’s education.
Several PTAs had come under scrutiny for imposing excessive levies on parents, which sometimes prevented students from attending school. Accusations of fund mismanagement also fueled the need for reform.
The GES has since clarified that PTAs are autonomous bodies with their own constitutions. While they are expected to work closely with school authorities, their decisions should not be binding on the schools, and vice versa.
