The Keta Secondary Technical Past Students Association has organized a public lecture on the role of Parent and Teachers Association – PTAs. The lecture was chaired by Prof. John Gatsi.
This is a special news desk report:
Prof. John Gatsi
On Friday, 2nd March 2018 Keta Secondary Technical Past Students Association organized a public lecture on the role of PTAs in the implementation of the Free SHS.
The lecture was under the chairmanship of Prof. John Gatsi with the former Director General of GES Mr. Charles Aheto-Tsegah as the guest speaker. Both Prof Gatsi and Mr. Aheto-Tsegah are past students.
[ads1]Mr Aheto-Tsegah traced the history of PTAs in schools and indicated that the educational system has key stakeholders with the role of PTAs as filling the gap to compliment the obligation of government. He further explained that the management of the Free SHS Policy needs vibrant PTAs. Mr. Aheto-Tsegah called for national discussion to ensure the proper place of PTAs.
During question and answer time, concerns were raised about the negative effects of the policy of the government in which PTAs are not allowed to collect dues. The conversion of bungalows for teachers into dormitories for students and girls dormitory block project being financed by the PTA came up to the displeasure of some past students.
The chairman, for the public lecture prof John Gatsi, in his closing remarks indicated that the conversion of teachers bungalows to students dormitory is not the best thing to happen and that all stakeholders should work together to solve infrastructure deficits in the School.
He also expressed the view that it is not possible for the government to provide all the School infrastructure needed by all schools within the medium term and given the fact that there are many ongoing projects by PTAs across the country which may not continue because only the parents of form two and three students are paying. The need for government to rethink its policy on PTA dues is crucial.