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AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLES OF PARENTS-TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION [PTA] AND ITS IMPACT ON TEACHING ANDLEARNING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS [A CASE STUDY OF OJO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE.]

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Abstract

This project was carried out to assess the roles of parent- Teacher Association on the teaching and learning in primary schools. Some primary schools were selected in Ojo Local Government Area which was used as the sample for the study, consisted of three private and public schools respectively. Hundred Questionnaires were shared for both the parents and pupils of the selected schools which were used as the sample to the study. Four research questions were tested and from the results obtained, the researcher was able to discover that there was a significant impact of the parent-teacher Association in achieving the goals of primary schools. The association has also helped tremendously in providing the necessary materials needed for the schools including fund which has contributed to the performance of the pupils in their examination.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Parent involvement is a salient predictor of students’ success (Million,

2003). In fact, many researchers suggest that parent involvement          positively impacts students’ achievement, attendance, attitudes, behavior, graduation, and life goals (Burke, 2001 and Belenardo, 2001). There is also much evidence that these benefits cross lines of family income and parent education level. In an era characterized by tremendous emphasis on school accountability as measured by students’ performance, education reform measures are replete with components that address parent involvement (Belenardo, 2001).

The parent-teacher association (PTA) has been rigorously advocated in Nigeria in recent years, which aims at the promotion of parent involvement to enhance the educational outcomes of students. The number of PTAs has been increasing drastically.

Parents Teachers Association can be identified  as  very  important variable  that  have  potential  for  promoting directly  or indirectly  student  academic  achievements  (Olatoye  and Ogunkola,  2008). Looking  at  the  quality  of  products  that  Nigeria’s secondary  schools turn  out,  it  appears  the  quality  of education  received  by  the  students is  low  in  terms  of cognitive,  affective  and  psychomotor  development there-by  making  the  secondary  school  system  ineffective.

Omoregie (2006)  lamented that the primary education which is the pivot of the entire  educational  system  in Nigeria  is  fast  loosing  relevance,  as  it  is not  fulfilling  the national  objectives  as  set  down  in  the  National  Policy of Education. The academic performance of primary school pupils  could be attributed  to  several  factors  but  this  study  is  restricted to the role of parents teachers’ association  as  a potential  factor . It has been noticed in some  areas,  that school headmasters/headmistress  do  not  involve the  parents  in  the  administration  of  the  schools  for fear  of being criticized. It  appears  in  some  cases,  parents  are  no longer  allowed  to participate  in  school  programmes  and parents  are  no  longer  allowed to  visit  their  children  in school regularly  to  see  how  they  fare.

There are instances where some principals no longer make   use   of   the Parents-Teachers Association  (PTA)  in  schools administration.  All these tend  to  make  the  parents  handicapped  in  assisting the  school  in  the provision  of  qualitative  education  to  its students .

According  to  Cotton  and  Wikelund  (2001),  many benefits  are  accrued for  the  school  and  for  parents themselves  when  parents  become involved  in  their children’s  school  activities.  They  maintained  that, school personnel  benefit  from  the  improved  rapport  that generally accompanies  increased  parents’  involvement. This  rapport  is  often expressed  in  parents’  increased willingness  to  support  school  with their  labour  and resources  during  fund-raising  activities  or  special projects.

Besides,  Henderson  (1987),  Hicks  and  Sammons (1992)  and Hillman and  Mortimore  (1995)  had  showed  in their  various  studies  that parental  presence  in  the  school activities  and  participation  in committees’  events  and other  activities  all  had  positive  effects  on achievement.

Adewuyi  (2002)  also  submitted  that  active  parent  involvement and positive home-school-community relations have been  shown  to  positively influence  effective  schooling and students’ achievement.

Ajayi  (1999)  also  posited  that,  effective  administration of  schools  could  be hampered  where  the  PTA  is  not performing  its  roles  as  expected. Also,  Ajayi  (2007) posited  that,  the  school  and  the  community  are interdependent  and  interrelated  and  for  the  relationship between  them to  be  meaningful,  worthwhile  and productive,  they  must  be  willing  to assist  each  other  to achieve  their  respective  goals  in  atmosphere  of love, mutual trust and cooperation.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

As educators struggle to identify and maximize the use of every resource to improve students’ performance, it is increasingly important that they establish and maintain high levels of parent involvement in their schools. Although parent involvement at the elementary-school level has been studied extensively, more research is needed “to determine why there is a decrease of involvement as the child advances to higher grades” (Smith,2001, p. 149)

The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the factors that significantly affect the level of parent involvement during the middle-school years.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purposes of this study are:

1. To reveal parents’ and teachers’ perceptions towards the PTA  in

achieving its goals.

1. To examine the impact of parent involvement in the academic Performance of pupils in the primary school.
2. To explore factors that have been perceived to promote or inhibit the parents’ involvement in the academic process of students in pupils school.
3. To investigate the extent of parents’ involvement in school administration and its effect on the development of primary school pupils.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Are there any differences between the perceptions of parents and teachers in terms of the involvement of PTA in achieving school goals?
2. To what extent does parent involvement in the academic process affect their performance in primary school?
3. What factors have been perceived to promote or inhibit parents’ involvement in the academic progress of pupils in primary school?
4. To what extent does parents’ involvement in school administration effect the development of primary school pupils?

1.5       RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1) There is a significant difference between the perceptions of parents and teachers in terms of the involvement of PTA in achieving school goals.

2) There is a significant effect on the parent involvement in the academic processes and their performance in primary schools.

3) There are significant factors which have been perceived to promote or inhibit parents’ involvement in the academic progress of pupils in primary school.

4) There is a significant relationship in parents’ involvement in the school administration and it effect on the development of primary school pupils.

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is hoped that this study will provide information for parents, educators and school administrators to reflect upon various factors that help Parents Teachers Association in achieving its school goals. In so doing, they can investigate the possibility of introducing those factors to their own PTAs, which may consequently lead to enhancing students’ educational outcomes in school.

In addition, the fact that this study is conducted in public schools, it shares quite a lot of similarities with many other counterparts. In this connection, this study provides a valuable reference for other schools to reflect upon the rationales and goals set by their own PTAs.

 

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work focuses on the role of Parents Teachers Association in the development of primary school pupils in some selected schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. This research work covers all public primary schools students in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. However, four public primary schools will be used as case study.

1.8  LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Apart from time-frame and shortage  of  finance,  the  major  limitation to this  research  is  the  inability  of  the  researcher  to  cover  the  whole Public primary schools in Ojo Local Government Area Of Lagos State as the title suggest.

        1.9       DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. PTA = Parents Teachers Association.
2. PTO= Parents Teachers Organisation.
3. PTM = Parents Teachers Meeting.
4. PUBLIC SCHOOL = A school that is owned, control and fund by the government.
5. ECCE = Early Child Care and Education.
6. LGA = Local Government Authority.
7. SUBEB = State Universal Basic Education Board.
8. PRIMARY EDUCATION = This is the “education given in institution for children aged 6 to 11plus” for a duration of six years.