President John Dramani Mahama has assured the public that the reintroduction of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in public schools will not place an unbearable financial burden on parents.
His assurance follows the announcement by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, regarding the return of PTAs to the management framework of public schools.
According to the President, the move is intended to strengthen cooperation between parents and teachers, ultimately improving student learning outcomes.
Delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term to Parliament on Thursday, February 27, he called on parents to actively participate in the administration of schools.
To prevent financial strain on parents, he assured the public that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) are working to ensure that PTAs do not impose excessive financial demands on parents and students who cannot afford them.
President Mahama also raised concerns about the current double-track system in senior high schools, describing it as a major challenge to Ghana’s education system.
“Mr Speaker, in line with our promise, the Minister for Education has announced the restoration of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in the running of schools. It is important for parents and the community to participate in the administration of their schools.
“The Ministry of Education and the GES will, however, ensure that PTAs do not impose an unbearable financial burden on parents and students who cannot afford them.
“Mr. Speaker, the double-track system remains a challenge, and we are committed to eliminating it by accelerating school infrastructural expansion and completing all educational projects.
“To fund this, the Education and Finance Ministries are working to uncap the GETFund so that we can accelerate infrastructure development in secondary schools.”he assured.
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Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has assured that his administration will not interfere in the governance and administration of public tertiary institutions.
Emphasising the importance of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the President stated that his government’s role is to support and enhance the quality of education while ensuring good governance within these institutions.
Speaking during the State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) in Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2025, the president stressed the importance of academic freedom and good governance within public tertiary institutions, stating, “Academic freedom will be upheld, and institutions will be required to ensure good governance. We will not interfere in the administration of public tertiary institutions.”
This commitment comes as part of the President’s broader vision to reform and strengthen Ghana’s education sector, particularly at the tertiary level.
He highlighted the need for public universities to operate independently while aligning their programs with national development goals, especially in critical areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
“We are determined to expand access, improve quality, and align tertiary education with national goals, particularly in STEM.
“Feasibility studies for new public universities or campuses of existing universities to be established in the six new regions will commence this year. Seed funding for these projects will come from the GETFund to enhance nationwide access.
“Government will engage with the existing public universities to identify suitable sites on their acquired lands for the implementation of the private sector participation in the provision of hostels. This will allow more students to be accommodated on the campuses to allow for a better learning environment.
