CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Efficient and effective administration of schools should be entirely an internal thing or be le for just the school administration. For a school to be able to do well in every ramification, then useful inputs from ‘external’ sources have to be thoroughly considered and implemented. One of those useful external sources is the parents’ teachers association. Parents’ teachers association is an association comprising of parents/guardians of students or pupils and the administration of the school majorly teachers who meet annually or quarterly to discuss matters on the educational, moral and spirited well-being of the students or pupils of any learning organization, either at the nursery or primary level or at the secondary level. This association is basically made up of two arms, the executive and the general assembly. The general assembly meets at designed times either quarterly or yearly while the executives meet as often as the need arises. The executive arm of this association is made up of duly elected parents or guardians and the school management such as the head teachers, principals and school administrators (kalu 2009).
The PTA has overtime been an organization that has monitored progress being made by the school. For eicient administration of any organization schools inclusive, all hands must be on deck enroute to its actualization. Overtime, a lot has been said about the operations and functions of the parents’ teachers association. This association has majorly defined roles for every school ranging from the nursery and primary school to the secondary schools. In some schools they are seen majorly as a fund raising group while in some other schools they are seen as one of the highest decision making body of the school. Whichever way one has to look at it, this association one would say may be a major stakeholder in the effective administration of the school. Roles of the parents’ teachers association. To represent the views of parents/guardians of the school To promote a positive view of parents via effective collaboration with the Parent Representatives on the Board of Management To inform parents of current changes in the school system, if the need arises. To network with other Parent Associations through involvement with National Parents Council. To establish a forum through which parents and teachers can exchange information and research in relation to education/welfare of children. To proffer solutions on better ways to administrate the school. To support parents, teachers and students to ensure that all children are treated in accordance with the ethos of the school. To support the teaching staff, and to work with them in delivering the school curriculum To help raise funds for the school and the Parents Association, in consultation with the Principal and Board of Management To keep parents informed about activities planned for the school To influence policy development at school level To influence policy development at national level once affiliated to the National Parents Council.
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM
The educational performance of Nigerian students and standard of education in Nigeria today is gradually falling thus leading to this question as to the role of the parents’ teachers association in the administration of schools in Nigeria in improving this malady in the educational sector. There is also a growing concern over the poor performance of students in the just released WASSCE examinations thus leading to this study in examining the role of this association in improving this decline. Does the parents’ teachers association help in improving the general administration of schools in Nigeria? Are their inputs as stakeholders required to improve the declining education sector? All these are the problems that led to this survey.
