he Parent- TeacherAssociation in secondary schools has its advantages and dsadvaantages.
ossy assOC1ation as it enables parents and teachcrs to teanm up n secing that a child receiv
gOOd oducation ft ISa body the government can casily run to, t0 Suppict s n providino
uuicathon for alt, w hen the financial burden becomes too heavy to carry alonc. Desidc cipals benefi,
a fot from a well-established, co-operating Parent-Teacher Association (tA). t asss the PTincipal to
eve dsipltne n school, as it takes necessary steps to sce that problems p0scd oy both staff and
s a prompty and expertly handled. For instance, it suggests measures to adopt to curb late.
ing, advses its parent-members to procure needed textbooks for their children Wards and helps in
curbing truaney
Parents so involved see themselves as part and parcel of the school and are proud and cager to
ontnbute their quota towards the progress of the school. They tax themselves to proyc necessary
amenities and infrastructures that are non-existent in the school or refurbish those in dilapidiated torms, for
tothe Doi CDiace. t generally gives usetful advice and constructve Suggestions
t,iAcan be a thorm in the flesh of Principals, especially where theChairman otPiA, or other
uchta exccutive members are over-ambitious, pessimistic, corrupt and troubiesonne. Such a
Chairman and his cohorts may feel at par with the Principal, blatantly refuse to recogn1ze ns uony, nor
give him their co-operation. PTA fund would not be released when needed for wortnwniie proects to be
executed in schools. In addition, parents' minds would be poisoned against such P1ACxpenditure. when at
all a PTAproject is approved, the Principal will have a problem on his hands to see that a large chunk of the
approved and released fund does not end up in the private pockets of PTA officials.
PTA officials at times descend as low as mobilizing forces against the Principal by painting him black
and nstigating teachers to write petitions to the Ministry of Education or the government, against him
AChaiman, in colusion with his officers, at times demands for a PTA office to be located in the
school, and on retusal, the Principal becomes his number one enemy. The list of harm PTA can do to a
or
school is endless.