Ghana Education Service (GES) has warned Parent Associations not to levy any student or pupils in its Guidelines meant to direct PA.
GES stated in the guideline that ”PAs may consider all fund raising avenues to support the schools but shall not levy any student/pupil.”
“Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) recognizes Parent Associations (PAs) as a useful platform for parents/guardians” GES disclosed.
According to the Service, PA is useful ”to collaborate with Management of the various educational institutions for the primary purpose of supporting enhanced education and growth of schools and/or for the comfort of students.”
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GES has directed that membership of the PA shall be opened and limited to only parents/guardians whose children/wards are in the school.
In the recent past, there have been some developments within the operations of PTAs which thwarted government’s efforts at ensuring universal access to education, specifically at the Senior High School Level.
These have been related to imposition of levies which have led to the denial of some students access to academic work/school facilities and structures by virtue of some parents either refusing and/or unable to contribute to the activities of PTAs.
“Some PTAs instituted outrageous levies which sought to defeat the purpose for which the Free SHS policy was introduced” Ghana Education Service (GES) revealed.
In the same vein, the PTA levies affected the Free Compulsory Basic Education (FCUBE) Policy at the basic school level. It made some children to drop out of school as a result of the inability of their parents to pay such Levies.
In response to these developments, the Management of GES has:
a. suspended the imposition of levies in all schools.
b. directed the reorganization of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) to Parent Associations (PAs) – i.e. to limit the involvement of management and staff of the schools.
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The Association shall operate its own accounts as shall be determined by its members.
“The Association shall not use the facilities, structures, staff and students of the school in the collection of contributions from members”, GES stated.
However, PAs shall be allowed to hold their meetings within the premises of the school at weekends but with permission from school Management.
GES warns that ”such meetings shall not distract any official programme and/or activities of the school.”
The Ghana Education Service has also stated in the guidelines that the Parents Association (PA) should not have anything call Ex Official.
”A member of the PA shall cease to be a member when the child/ward of that member ceases to be a student/pupil of that school.”
GES added that no member shall use the constitutional mandate (tenure of office) of an executive position to remain on the PA when the child/ward of that member ceases to be a student/pupil of the school.
”Membership of the PA shall be opened and limited to only parents/guardians of whose children/wards are in the school.”
Below are some excerpts from the GES guidelines for Parents Association (PA).
“Executive Members without children or wards in their respective schools must be relieved of their positions.”
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”The PA shall elect its own executive officers independent of the school Management and shall operate purely as an Association opened to all parents/guardians whose wards are in the school without any interference from the school Management.”
”Every PA shall be related to a specific school. The implication is that every PA must be made up of parents/guardians whose children/wards are in a specific school and the activities of that PA must be in relation to that specific school.”
“No student shall be responsible for the actions and inactions of any member of the PA or the PAs a body.”
”The implication is that no student shall be linked to the activities of the PA either through the school or his/her parent/guardian. By extension, no student/learner, in both basic and second cycle schools, shall be held.”
”PAs may use the name of the school as part of its name purely for identification purposes. However, the use of the name of the school as part of the name of the PA shall not imply any legal responsibility of the school for the actions and activities of the PA.”
In conclusion, GES as a body, that sees to the effective running of Ghanaian education is poised to make comforts for parents and other school managements.
With the help of teachers and parents, GES has produced students with high IQ as well as nurtured them to become responsible civilians.
We hope you would follow the GES PA Guidelines to know to operate in the schools to avoid facing the law if there is a breach of any rule.
To get access to the full guideline document and download, kindly CLICK HERE.
Source: bbcpulse.com