The critical role of PTAs

Tshwarelo Hosia | Tuesday September 30, 2025 15:51

PTAs have been established for a variety of good reasons. First and foremost, is to acts as a bridge between the school and the community.

Without such a structure, a school can easily run the risk of existing like an ivory tower, isolated and insulated from the community it was created to serve. The risk should be avoided at all costs.

A school, especially in a rural setting, is viewed as a community asset.

It is a source of community pride and hope bringing real opportunities for children living in poverty to gain access to improved livelihoods.

Naturally, communities have vested interests in the affairs of a school because of the fundamental role institutions of learning play in addressing poverty, deprivation, and social inequalities.

However, active participation of parents and general membership of the public in the affairs of school is not automatic. Parental engagement is earned. It depends on school management.

Some school principals are successful in generating community interest and active participation in school affairs, while others are less successful. In addition to their core business of navigating instructional leadership, school principals have an additional responsibility of cultivating sound and healthy relations with the PTA and the community in general.

The PTA is the gateway to the hearts and souls of the community. To earn the respect and support of the PTA, School principals should endeavour to run the affairs of schools in a more transparent and accountable manner.

A culture of dialogue and exchanges of views is paramount in the cultivation of rapport and mutual understanding. Sour relations with the PTA can bring about a culture of indifference, isolation, and disengagement.

This would be unfortunate. Schools need parents more than ever before. These are hard times; money is not coming, as it should.

Besides the need to support schools financially, parents should partner with schools to deal with issues of discipline and raising student achievement levels. Issues of student indiscipline, ranging from desertion, bullying, teenage pregnancy, to drug abuse, are on the rise. Therefore, parental support is so critical in the management of these pressing matters.

It is very important for the school principal and the PTA to have a shared vision of the school and to try at all times to read from the same page.

An atmosphere of mutual respect should govern relations between the principal and the PTA.

The PTA should respect the school principal’s territorial Integrity.

As instructional leaders, school principals have better insights into school educational needs, and their visions and views should enjoy the full backing of the PTA.

Differences of opinion, of course, cannot be completely avoided in any work environment but whenever they occur should be managed with great care.

No office politics should assume precedence over the interests of the school. The PTA should also know its boundaries and limits. Its role is strictly advisory and supportive.

No PTA should delve into the domain of school principals. Internal staff squabbles should be left in the good hands of school principals. PTAs cannot run a parallel administration.

Its duty is to dispense good counsel to the school principal while collecting parental levies to meet the financial requirements of the school. Any attempt by any PTA member to get involved in pure internal administrative affairs of a school can have dire consequences for the school. It is very important for parents to exercise great care when electing members of the PTA.

Candidates seeking PTA positions should be subjected to serious scrutiny and screening to ensure that those elected are clean and unblemished.

If possible, PTA members should be apolitical, free from partisan politics during their tenure.

Experience has shown that some of those active in politics may not resist the temptation to use their positions of influence as a launching pad for their political ambitions. Politics has its own place and should never find a way into the life of a school.

Politics by its nature is divisive and any PTA that cannot avoid political entanglements may not execute its functions very well. Otherwise, PTAs have become the lifeblood of schools amidst budgetary constraints.

One critical area, which can encourage parents to participate fully in the affairs of schools, is proper handling of PTA funds. Accountability and transparency increase confidence in the management of schools. Lack of accountability creates suspicions and mistrust.

Overall PTAs are doing well and are poised to play a much more bigger role in improving educational outcomes and strengthening school governance.