The Role of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) on the Administration of Secondary Schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of parent teacher association in the schools administration especially in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The PTA’s involvement in secondary school administration is a kind of rendering assistance to government who always emphasis self help development and this association help to promote discipline among students by policies formation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the influence of PTA in school administration.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The influence of PTA on the administration of school has been a topic of research and discussion by individuals and groups of people in different work of life. So many works and publications from Nigeria and other parts of the world on the issue of the influence of PTA on the administration of schools.
In an attempt to identify the influence of PTA on the administration of schools, it is not sufficient for one to exchange most of the available source of the related literature no matter how detailed one’s work may be. There is a common knowledge that PTA carries out a major role in the administration of school in the state. This is evidenced by the various reports of the national newspapers, the reports of principals annually to the state ministry of education and radio broadcasting on education commissioners, opening classroom and science block donated by PTA of secondary school in Egor and also experience derived from books and television. Therefore it is the right of this that I have decided to draw my information from the related literature.
DEFINITION OF PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
Ikilema (1984) defined parents teachers association as one whose membership comprises teachers and parents and guardians inclusive of pupils and students attending primary and post primary institution of learning respectively.
Therefore, from the above definition, parents teachers association could be looked at as the companionship between the parents of the students in a school and the teacher in that same school of learning, which makes possible effective communication, and co-operation between the parents and the teachers respectively.
ORIGIN OF PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
The origin of parent’s teachers association must have come into existence many years back. However, it was first started in the United State of America (USA) with the establishment of the National Congress Of Parents and Teachers (NCPTA), which was founded in 1877 from available records. It has been reported that there are five hundred private educational organization and association in the United States, one of these well know, being the National Congress of Parents teachers, Abiola A.O. (1967).
The major influence of this parents and teachers is to bring together parents and public teachers to discuss local school problems and project and find possible solution in resolving these problems, which have been identify.
From the history of education in England, it has been discovered that the establishment of PTA is relatively recent, since the English National federation of PTA (ENFPTA) was founded in the year 1956 some few years ago.
But in the case of Nigeria contest, nobody stands the chance of giving the actual time when PTA starts. It could be assumed that it started some years ago after the independence in 1960 with particular reference to most of our post primary institutions in our country Nigeria.
AIMS OF PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
The main aim of forming the parents teachers association may varies from one place to another and from one school to the other depending on the initiative of the founders and the immediate need for the formation.
In this case, the aim of forming a parents teachers association is to look into the affairs of the pupils and students to ensure the free and fair running of the school which would determined the general behaviour of the students. Taiwo (1960) stated the aims of the parents teachers association.
- To bring parents, teachers and the community as the basis of equality and in the interest of students even in religious ethnics or political affiliations.
- To interpret the functions and aims of PTA and modern educational ideas and practices of parents of children of pre-school age and school age as well as other members of the community.
- To give the parents the opportunity of getting advice about health and behaviour.
- To co-operate with other organization which are concern with the care and training of children adolescent?
It is equally an opportunity for both parent and teachers to meet together to resolve matters affecting the schools and the students respectively. Most of the problems that would have hinder the effective guidance and learning of the students both at school and at home are easily resolve by this association.
Mofaland (1978) stated clearly the aim of forming or organizing PTA in primary/secondary schools. According to him, it is due to the opportunity parents are giving to familiarize themselves with matters, which involve the welfare of their children and the co-operation with other organizations, which is concerned, with the care of training children and adolescents.
It is equally an opportunity for both parents and teachers to meet together to resolve matters affecting the schools and the students respectively. Most of the problems that would have hinder the effective guidance and learning of the students both at school and at home are easily resolved by this association.
Gerald (1977) stressed that the only way of resolving majority of the problems of the school is by fund raising and the PTA is a legalized body that can approve the collection of PTA in our secondary school.
In some other situation, the main organ of parents teachers association is the principal or the headmaster with a close associates the staff members. In some other situations, students and parents are also encouraged to take active part in meeting.
CHAPTER THREE
METHOD AND MATERIALS
POPULATION
The population for the study is made up of the students in the secondary school in Egor local Government area of Edo State.
SAMPLE/SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
There are so many secondary schools in Egor local government area of Edo State. To reduce the workload in going round all the schools in the area of data collection for this study. Five out of the schools were randomly sampled, the sample schools include
- Useh secondary school Egor
- Uwelu secondary school Egor local government
- Egor secondary school Egor
- Uselu secondary school Egor
- Evbareke secondary school, Egor
- Skaibu secondary school Egor local government
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
This research work enjoyed a descriptive survey/design. The researcher carried out this survey with questionnaire. Those interview include the local government education officer and staff from teacher form the sampled schools. The researcher produces 20 copies of the questionnaire for data collection. Therefore the questionnaires were administration with the assistance of the form master at the same day to save time and cost of another questionnaire.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND REPRESENTATION OF RESULTS
This chapter shows the presentation arrangement and analysis of data gathered in the process of the role of parents teachers association (PTA).
Table 1: What are the results of well organized role or parents’ teachers association (PTA)
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
From the data analysis so far, majority of the teachers responded to the fact that influence of PTA in the school administration influence discipline on students while students said “no” to these statement. This can be seen on the various tables under different research question.
In table 1,2 and 3 which reveals that PTA has a lot of influences on the discipline in the school in the area, following the responses received, the resorts in this three tables indicate that 70%, 80% and 60% of teachers on the yes column while 35.5% and 32% of students could be seen on No column.
As a matter of fact, lack of PTA in many secondary schools does not augur well for school discipline and as a result, involvement of parents in schools activities is essentially necessary for better result of the student’s academic performance. This was further stressed by Turner (1973) that discipline in school points out the parents influence and understanding of vital to the school whether the disciplinary measure used in the school are physical or non physical.
In table 4 on the rate of riot in secondary school and moral support also revealed that 85% and 58% of the teachers appeared on the Yes column and again while the result of the students on the no column are 85% and 20.5% respectively. Therefore, the PTA has given to school moral and financial support in the past and present time. This is again buttressed by Gerald (1977) that the only way of resolving majority of the problems of the school is by fund raising and if PTA is the legalized, by that it can approve the fund utilization. The PTA has recorded a high percentage because they make sure that the collected is utilized judiciously and this is why PTA in school calls for financial accountability of the physical structure erected.
This is confirmed by Burges (1987) that PTA has certainly improved the physical amenities of our schools they raise fund, build, swimming poles and maintaining discipline in schools. On the whole, the responses of students and teachers vary in findings the reason for this is not far fetch while the students said “no” to the statement, the teacher said “yes” and this could be so, because the teacher know much of the duties or functions of the PTA in schools administration.
CONCLUSION
The major purpose of the study is to know the influence of PTA on the administration on the school in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. From the data so far collected and analyzed, it could be seen that the research question for the study yielded positive result. Thus, the result got from this study, the following educational implication here inferred. Firstly, the existence of PTA in schools has enhanced effective teaching and learning situation. In our secondary. Secondly the formation of PTA has helped to develop the spirit of cooperation between the parents and the school authorities all over the areas. Thirdly, it help to assist in provision of physical plans of the recruitment and posting of qualified teaching staff to the various secondary schools. And finally, the PTA acts as an advisory body to both the school authority and the education board especially in matters affecting their school.
FINDINGS
The result so far obtained from the findings have been summarized as follows:
- Frequent riot of students in schools has been reduced to the influence of PTA in the school administration .
- The roles which are played by PTA in schools could be seen in the effectiveness of the school administrative and the overall development.
- The intervention of PTA in the school administration help to improve the level of student’s performance in their moral and academic performance.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Following the findings in the study, the following recommendations have been made:
- That the school authority should be very careful in the section of PTA member in order not to select some of them who are fraudulent among them.
- The government should provide adequate and well qualified academic staff in secondary schools.
- The PTA should also assist the government and the school authority to provide more classroom and hostels, the old ones should be renovated to accommodate more students adequately.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES
As a result of the limitation of this study there is the need for further researcher who are interested in this research topic to carry out an in-depth study on it listing different approach, methodologies and procedure as well as related literature review. The researchers also suggest that study should be carried out in other secondary schools where problems exist for the purpose of comparison and conclusion.
Finally, the researcher also suggest that the researcher to be on the topic should endeavour to find out the possible means of minimizing the existing problems so far identified by this research.
REFERENCES
- Abiola A. O. (1967) the Place of PTA as a Cooperating body in the School System. Teacher forum Vol. 6
- Adeyomo P. O. (1972) the Principles and Practice of Education (Nig) pp. 48-52.
- Burayeas (1976) Home and School Published with Revisions in Polician Book pp. 194-195.
- Heraid (1977) the Place of PTA in School Administration (nig) pp. 36-39.
- Ikilama B. (1984) the Parents Teacher Association (Nig) Nations Women World.
- Iwuama B. C. et al (1992) Research Method in Education (Nig) pp. 29-33.
