PTA fee proposal rejected - Deduction idea impractical - PM
published:
Tuesday | July 15, 2008
Anderson
Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Friday shot down a suggestion made by the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) for an automatic deduction from the grant given to schools to go towards PTA fees.
In his final address as president of the NPTAJ, Sylvester Anderson said the deduction would ensure that the fees are paid to finance the operation of PTAs.
However, Golding said this was not practical.
"You have asked for an automatic deduction from the grant to schools to cover PTA fees and the answer to that is no," Golding said during the annual conference and general meeting of the NPTAJ.
Golding said his Government could not fulfil that request because it would make the payment of PTA fees mandatory.
"And we are not in that, and secondly it would provide a kind of automaticity of collection and flows that not even the public service company has been able to arrange up to now," said the prime minister.
A challenge
Golding told the gathering at the University of Technology that the business of raising funds to finance the operation of the association would continue to be a challenge. However, he said he was certain that the association would find creative means of sourcing the money.
Turning to his West Kingston constituency, Golding said, with the exception of three schools, the performance of students in the Grade Six Achievement Test was appalling.
"We saw numbers like 57 students sitting (and) seven passing maths and eight passing English," Golding said. He noted that this was the reverse when he was a student.
Golding said the education system alone could not be blamed for the failure of these students.
"As deficient as our school system is, it cannot explain the poor performance of students," he said.
He noted that there was the need for parents to play a more active role in the education of their children.
"I see too much of a manifestation of a mindset where parents are focused almost entirely on sending the children to school," Golding said.
Work praised
In her remarks, Opposition Spokesperson on Education Maxine Henry-Wilson congratulated the parent-teacher body on its work. She noted that the association, which was established two years ago, has grown, adding that schools with good PTAs usually perform well.
Executive director of the Education Transformation Team, Frank Weeple, said if Jamaica is to transform the education system, the role of parents will be critical.
New head for NPTA
Miranda Ophelia Daley-Sutherland was on Friday elected as the new president of the National Parent-Teacher Associa-tion of Jamaica (NPTAJ).
She replace Sylvester Anderson, who served the association, since it was established two years ago.
Sutherland, who served as vice-president of the NPTAJ, said she was elated to have been elected by the parents.
She noted that the NPTAJ could become one of the largest and most influential bodies in Jamaica. Sutherland said one of her plans as president will be to recruit more parents for the NPTAJ.
Meanwhile, Anderson said it was a privilege for him to have served as president.
"It was fun and I enjoyed it a lot. Just the whole notion of being able to serve the country was great," Anderson told The Gleaner.
Anderson said he has a passion for working with schools and will continue to do so.
