Directive to bring back PTAs good one

In 2018, the Ghana Education Service (GES) replaced Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) with Parents Associations (PAs) to enhance autonomy and focus on improving educational quality. 

The GES then developed guidelines for PAs to operate independently, with elected executive officers and open membership to all parents and guardians. The guidelines also specified that students should not be held responsible for PA-related activities or dues.

While the intention behind the change seemed beneficial, the exclusion of  teachers from the PA's structure was met with scepticism. By distancing teachers from the association, the decision came with unintended consequences.

However, the GES have had to do a u-turn and rescind its earlier decision following a directive from President John Dramani Mahama to reinstate PTAs in all pre-tertiary schools nationwide. In a letter dated July 16, 2025, the GES instructed regional directors of education to inform school heads to implement the directive immediately.

The GES should consider revisiting the guidelines to ensure that the stakeholders — parents and teachers — adequately represented and engaged in the PTA's activities. This would foster a more inclusive and collaborative approach to improving education quality.

It is important to state that the initial decision of GES to replace PTA with PA also faced strong opposition from schools' PTAs and civil society organisations (CSOs), including the Council for PTAs. These groups argued that PTAs had made significant contributions to supporting students' education over the years.

Therefore, the GES's recent instruction to reinstate PTAs in senior high schools has been welcomed by CSOs and individuals who had opposed the initial decision.

The Daily Graphic is aware that the GES plans to develop further guidelines on PTAs operations, which suggests a willingness to listen to concerns and work towards a more inclusive approach.

This development has brought relief to those who value the role of PTAs in supporting students' education.

The GES has also announced plans to develop operational guidelines for Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), including structure, roles, and financial accountability mechanisms to ensure consistency across schools.

The Daily Graphic welcomes the reinstatement of PTAs in schools but cautions that the education management should learn from past excesses.

Specifically, the practice of punishing students for their parents' inability to pay PTA dues should not recur.

We appreciate the commitment of the GES to issuing guidelines on PTA modalities.

However, we would have preferred a simultaneous rollout of the guidelines with the reinstatement  of the directives.

Nevertheless, we expect the GES to expedite the development of these guidelines to ensure a holistic and effective operationalisation of PTAs.

With timely guidelines, PTAs can function smoothly and support students' education without disruptions.

As we welcome back the PTAs, the point needs to be made that PTAs are voluntary associations of parents, and therefore should not penalise students for non-payment of dues.

One of the decisions that informed the exclusion of teachers from PTAs was aimed at preventing students from being unfairly punished.

We believe that PTAs  should operate independently of students, focusing on appealing to parents' conscience to support their children's schools.

The role of PTAs in pre-tertiary institutions is undeniable, as evident in their contributions to infrastructure development, such as constructing laboratories, dormitories and electrifying school campuses.

By working independently and voluntarily, PTAs can effectively support schools and enhance students' educational experiences.

Our position is no different from the CSOs and other stakeholders in the education sector.

We support the decision to bring back the PTAs  because they play a vital role in supporting schools.

They motivate teachers and the non-teaching staff  of the schools, contributing to a more effective and conducive learning environment.

PTAs also facilitate information sharing, discussion of concerns and open dialogue among parents, teachers, administrators and the school community.

Teachers' involvement in PTAs is crucial, as they understand the needs of students and the school. Excluding them from PTAs may not be beneficial.

Instead, PTAs should be structured to ensure that their activities do not disadvantage students whose parents cannot afford to pay the dues.

By striking a balance, PTAs can support holistic development for all students, regardless of their parents' financial situation and their background.