17 Nov 2016

Former regional Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson, Mr Sam Magama, has underscored the importance of having PTA committees in schools for betterment of the education system.

Addressing stakeholders at the National Secondary School Heads conference in Francistown on November 16, Mr Magama said parents involvement was universal and important for student achievement and school improvement.

He informed the stakeholders of the countless objectives of the PTA, some of which included creating links between schools, families and communities.

Mr Magama said PTAs also instilled and promoted education, discipline, personal morals and cultural development in the learner.

He acknowledged that PTAs contributed to school programmes, advocated for accountability of resources, property and safe education environment.

Mr Magama further spoke of the challenges that the Botswana education system was faced.

He noted that declining student performance and destruction of public property as well as crimes in schools were the most worrisome amongst other challenges.

Mr Magama recommended that schools should work with the PTA in resolving the many challenges that the education system was faced with.

Mr Majaga Ndlovu of Setlalekgosi Junior Secondary School spoke of the importance of involving parents in the learner’s academic life, stating that benefits outweighed the challenges.

Amongst the benefits, he stated, was that PTA eliminated mis-trust amongst parents and teachers, which in turn increased the number of parents as advocates in the community.BOPA