CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Efficient
and effective administration of schools should be entirely an internal thing or
be left 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 efficient 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
Ø
To represent the views of parents/guardians
of the school
Ø
To promote a positive view of parents
via effective collaboration with the Parent Representatives on the Board of
Management
Ø
To inform parents of current changes
in the school system, if the need arises.
Ø
To network with other Parent
Associations through involvement with National Parents Council.
Ø
To establish a forum through which
parents and teachers can exchange information and research in relation to
education/welfare of children.
Ø
To proffer solutions on better ways
to administrate the school.
Ø
To support parents, teachers and
students to ensure that all children are treated in accordance with the ethos
of the school.
Ø
To support the teaching staff, and to
work with them in delivering the school curriculum
Ø
To help raise funds for the school
and the Parents Association, in consultation with the Principal and Board of
Management
Ø
To keep parents informed about
activities planned for the school
Ø
To influence policy development at
school level
Ø
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.
1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study is to
examine the impact of parents’ teachers association in the administration of
schools in Nigeria. Specific objectives of the study are:
1. To
know if the association influences the performance of the teaching staff of the
school.
2. To
ascertain if the association influences the performance of their wards or
children in school.
3. To
find out if the association influences policy development in schools.
4. To
find out if there is a relationship between the activities of the parents’
teachers association and the development of education in Nigeria.
1.4.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to examine
the influence of the parents’ teachers association in schools across Nigeria,
the following questions were asked.
1. To
what extent does the parents’ teachers association influence the overall
performance of the teaching staff of schools?
2. Does the parents’ teachers association
influence the academic performance of their wards or children? If the answer is
in the affirmative, to what extent has this association influenced the
performance of the students.
3. Is
there a relationship between the activities of the parents’ teachers
association in schools and the general educational development in Nigeria?
4. Does
this association influence basic policy development in schools in Nigeria?
5. Are
the inputs of the parents’ teachers association required to improve the decline
in the education sector?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Hypothesis
1
H0: Parents’ teachers
association does not influence the overall performance of teachers in schools.
H1: Parents’ teachers
association influences the overall performance of teachers in schools.
Hypothesis
2
H0: Parents’ teachers
association does not influence the overall performance of their wards in
schools.
H1: Parents’ teachers
association does not influence the overall performance of their wards in
schools.
Hypothesis
3
H0: there is no
relationship between the activities of the parents’ teachers association and
the general educational development in Nigeria.
H1: there is a
relationship between the activities of the parents’ teachers association and
the general educational development in Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
For students to be able to perform
optimally in school and for teachers to be able to give their best in schools,
then certain inputs from sources have to be thoroughly considered and
implemented. A very viable source is the
parents’ teachers association, for a better education sector, one must be able
to know the extent of the role of this association in schools and by extension
the education sector. In other to
resuscitate the declining education sector, teachers should be encouraged and
guided, students progress should be monitored and above all, the administration
of schools should well guided and advised on the right moves to make. Thus a
major significance of this study is to know the level of input in the schools
administration by the parents’ teachers association.
1.7 SCOPE AND OF THE STUDY
This study is restricted to parents,
primary and secondary schools in Uyo local government of Awa-Ibom State. In the
realization of the role of the parents’ teachers association in schools across
the local government. The study will be focused on parents and teachers of
various primary schools in LAGOS state.
1.8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
·
PTA:
parents’ teachers association
·
ADMINISTRATION:
activities
that are done in other to plan organize and run a business, school or other
institution.