THE ROLE OF PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (PTA )IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

 

THE ROLE OF PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (PTA )IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 study background
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is one of the associations that strongly participate in the management of education at all levels, especially in secondary school. The PTA today, exists in almost every secondary school in Nigeria. It is an ideal association whose contributions are channeled to the management of Education. Ogbonnaya (2012) indicates that through such meetings, parents can learn about classroom programs that have been planned or are being managed. Through this association, the teacher will also have a valuable insight into the child's relationship with parents at home. In some communities, it is known that Parents voluntarily subscribe to the construction of classrooms, dormitories, laboratories, etc.
The P. T. A. has been immensely involved in the management of education in the North-Central Zone of Nigeria. Often there are school buildings, school buses with the inscription "gift of P. T. A.". Once, without number, P. T. A. requests the transfer of certain principals, teachers, finance clerks to their respective schools. Okwori (2013) believes that education management leads to new changes in teaching and learning and that most of the positive changes result from the involvement of the PTA in the provision of infrastructure such as classrooms, libraries, among others. Also in the recruitment of teachers, the provision of financial assistance and the creation of cordial relations between schools and host communities, PTA plays a leading role. Education management refers to the notable changes in growth identified in some aspects of Education in Nigeria over a given period Akpakwu (2012). To ensure coordinated management of education in the country, PTA actively participate in achieving the goals of Education. PTA participation is through financial and moral support in collaboration with teachers in education. School management and ATP must constantly monitor, evaluate and evaluate. This document covers, among other things, the recruitment of teachers, financial assistance, infrastructure and the provision of teaching materials.

The Parent Teacher Association is a voluntary Association of parents and guardians, as well as teachers from a given school. In some countries, this association of parents and teachers is called by other names. Whatever the name is known in the different countries, the objectives of The Parent/Teacher Association (P. T. A.) are essentially the same. Promoting such understanding and cooperation between teachers and parents would allow each party to contribute to the creation of an enabling atmosphere that will facilitate the learning and teaching process in schools (Okeke 2004).
According to Elui (2007), the goal of P. T. A. is to allow parents to know what is happening at school and to give their opinion on certain issues concerning children. The A. T. P. finances capital projects such as the construction of a new administrative block or classroom, the closing of the school, the provision of accommodation for staff, rooms for staff, laboratories, etc. she went further by saying that through P. T. A., parents and teachers interact and make decisions about the management and well-being of children, teachers and the school. It is responsible for mitigating most of the problems that school management may encounter in ensuring that children are well prepared for learning, including extracurricular activities such as inter-community sports. (National P. T. A. 1988).
The P. T. A. can solve the problem of insufficient teaching staff by recruiting and paying part-time teachers. They can also finance the cost of additional courses for children preparing for an external examination (Elui 2004). Under the auspices of the P. T. A., parents have understood that the process of educating their children is a responsibility that they will share jointly with teachers. Iwuanyanwu (2006) believed that teachers, on the other hand, are led to accept the fact that parents have not only a duty, but also the right to take an active part in the discussion and decision-making on all the facts or aspects of their children's education. In fact, the effect of a good organized and effective Parent-Teacher association is to ensure that parents and teachers (a) want to better understand the children who are being educated in order to be better able to help them move effectively (B) understand the need for constant dialogue and communication between parents and teachers and, therefore, the need to create a system or channel through which it will take place; (C) to realize that both sides play an equally important role in the educational process of children and that the educational goals we have for these children will not be achieved without both sides playing an active role.
The position of The Parent-Teacher Association in our current education system can only be fully appreciated from a historical perspective. Before the Nigerian civil war in 1967, there was no parent-teacher Association in our schools, at least not as they currently exist. The parents & apos; Association, where it existed, was a very informal organization with no structure, constitution or leadership. In fact, it existed and functioned as an occasional informal invitation of some parents by school authorities, to the annual Schools event such as Sports Day, Awards Day, speech day or school day or foundation day. Prior to the civil war, most schools were owned and operated by various Christian missionary organizations as well as individuals. In fact, in the area that is now known as Anambra State, the government has no post-primary institution. Before the Civil War, almost all primary and secondary schools and teacher training institutions belonged to missionaries and some philanthropic individuals responsible for appointing, disciplining, promoting and terminating teachers. School owners have received government grants to help them manage the schools. Another source of income available to school owners was fees of various types that were charged to students. With the money made from all these sources, they paid the teachers, equipped the school and paid for other miscellaneous expenses incurred in the day-to-day operation of the Okeke schools (2004).

Statement of the Problem

The current trend in many secondary schools in  Ondo state  tends to makes one to wonder if the P.T.A. is still making useful contributions to school management. A number of incidents like students going to school as late as 10.am; hanging about in school uniforms during school hours in obscure places; dilapidated structures in the schools; lack of libraries, well equipped laboratories, adequate classroom blocks and essential amenities (Uzoechina & Obidike, 2007), make it appear that the PTA has not been very useful in the management of school plant and raising the moral tone of the school. Some parents show indifference and disregard to the PTA.

They remain weak and poorly linked in the chain, and have not accepted Parents- Teachers Association as an instrument for educational progress. Such parents only pay the P.T.A levy when forced and go on to complain that the school administration extorts money from them. When meetings are conveyed, many teachers and fathers absent themselves, leaving only mothers or their house helps who might have nothing to contribute to the meeting. The extent to which such parents would contribute to school management is doubtful. As a result of those problem, the reseaerrcher intend to investigate the role of parents Association in the Management of secondary schools in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Purpose Of Study

            The main purpose of this study is to determine   the role of parents teachers association (PTA )in the management of secondary schools in Ondo west  local government area  of Ondo state.

The specific objective is

  1. find out how the PTA can help to improve the relationship between the school and the community;.

 

  1. find out how the PTA can contribute to the maintenance of discipline;

 

 

  • find out how to improve PTA’s participation in fund raising for the school for proper management of the school system;

 

 

  1. find out how to improve the relationship between the school and the PTA; in the management of secondary schools.

 

 

 

  1. find out how to improve PTA participation in providing infrastructures and equipment in the management of secondary schools.

 

RESEARCH QUESTION

            The following research questions have been drawn.

  1. What are the modalities for improving communication relationship between the school, the home and the community?

 

  1. What are the modalities for improving Parents Teachers Association participation in fund raising in management of secondary schools?

 

  1. What are the modalities for improving Parents Teachers Association participation in the maintenance of discipline in management of secondary schools?

 

  1. What are the modalities for improving Parents Teachers Association participation in the provision of infrastructures and other equipments in the management of secondary schools?

Hypotheses

 

The following null hypotheses have been formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance.

H01    There  is  no  significant difference between  the  mean  rating  of  PTA

 

executives and teachers with regards to the modalities for improving participation of the PTA in the provision of infrastructures in the management  secondary schools

 

H02    There is no significant difference between the mean rating of PTA and teachers with regards to the modalities of PTA participation in the fundraising in the management of secondary schools

 

Significant of the study

            The place of parents teacher association in the administration of secondary school is of great importance. Quite very often, people attribute the success of most secondary school management to the existence of strong PTA organization in schools.

            This study is therefore significant in the sense that, it will throw more light on what the students, teachers, principals and the general public perceived to be the place of PTA in the administrative machinery of secondary school.

Again, as a result of its contributions the principals might see their shortcoming and involved in a more effective approach to school administration. The result of the study may provide reliable information on the nature of principal’s leadership in schools, to school board of education {state and local}. From this, they may redefine the policy on which subsequent school administration policies will be formulated.

Therefore, this would enhance effective teaching/learning and administration in our secondary schools. Other researchers might find the study useful particularly the function of PTA in school administration of discipline.

Scope   of the Study

            This study is confirmed strictly to Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State . While the research topic is restricted to the role of PTA in the management of secondary schools. The questionnaires, which the research uses to collect data for this study, were administered in senior school students SSS III.

Limitation of the Study

This study is confirmed strictly to Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State  but the absence of good roads, which led to lack of transportation.

            Financial constraint, coupled with academic engagement right now, the study is therefore limited to only five secondary schools in the local government area. This study is again limited to the factor responsible for involvement of PTA in the administration of secondary schools.

Operational definition of terms

            In this study, the researcher will give brief definition and explanation of the concept used.

School: This is defined as a place for teaching and learning in a formal structure. That is, everything about a school must be there such as chalkboard, writing desk and chairs, qualified teachers etc.

PTA: Parents Teachers Association as the name implied is the unionism or coming together of both parents, guidance, teachers inclusive of pupils, student attending primary and post primary schools of learning.

Management: This is a social process concerned with identifying, maintaining, motivating, controlling and unifying formally and informally organized human and material resources with in integrated system designed specifically to achieve an objective.

Discipline: This is the means where by children are trained in orderliness of good conduct on the habit of getting the best out of themselves all of which are essential to the well being of the school. On the other hand, indiscipline is the opposite of discipline and it simply put back of control.

 

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