The leadership of the National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) – Ghana, has denied claims that the government, as part of its Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy, has absorbed PTA dues and levies.

According to the association, the Ghana Education Service Council (GESC) Chairman, Mr Michael Nsowah, made it clear during a meeting with the association on July 19, 2018, that the Free SHS Policy was “Fee-free,” stressing that the government was absorbing only GES approved fees and not that of PTA dues and levies.

This was contained in a statement released yesterday in Accra and signed by the General Secretary of NCPTAs, Atsu Christian Aikins Gapson Kofi Raphael.

The statement observed that the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, in an interview on Citi FM Breakfast Show, as monitored and reported by the Ghanaian Times said the government, through the Free SHS Policy, absorbed the payment of PTA dues.

According to the Sector Minister, such ‘fees’ levied against parents was used in the payment of utilities (electricity, water), textbooks, and to support projects through their development levies. He further stated that all these were PTA fees which government was now paying on behalf of parents,” which the statement claimed lack factual accuracy.

“The Education Minister also sought to clarify the perception in the public domain thatthe government has banned the collection of PTA dues and levies in public schools. He further explained that the reason behind government absorption of PTA dues and levies as part of its implementation of the Free SHS Policy was to prevent the scenarios in the past where heads of schools at the SHS level sacked students from the classrooms for non-payment of PTA dues and levies,” it added.

It explained that PTA was an autonomous body and was not operating under GES.

The statement explained that the dues collected through PTA were mostly used to complement the government’s effort in providing necessary infrastructural facilities and amenities to enhance teaching and learning.

“PTA dues and project levies has a special purpose, raising funds from parents/ guardians towards the implementation of approved infrastructural projects, academic and welfare policies and programmes of various School-Based PTAs across the country.

These reciprocal partnerships are geared towards complementing government efforts in improving discipline, academic support, infrastructural projects and operational logistics in schools towards improving quality of education,” it added.

The statement, therefore, urged parents and guardians to recognise the need to meaningfully contribute their quota towards the future education of a Ghanaian child, while holding the government accountable for their mandate in the educational sector.