Rev. Isaac Owusu, the President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has called for the establishment of a robust legal framework to support the recent reinstatement of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in basic and secondary schools across the country. This appeal follows the government’s directive, issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Thursday, July 17, 2025, which reinstates PTAs in all pre-tertiary institutions. The decision, announced by President John Dramani Mahama, reverses a 2019 policy from the previous administration that suspended PTAs and banned compulsory PTA levies, instead introducing weaker “Parent Associations” (PAs) as part of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program.
During a press conference marking the opening of the “Teaching Together” workshop—a collaborative initiative between GNAT and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF)—at the GNAT Institute for Research and Industrial Relations in Abankro, Rev. Owusu emphasized that the reinstatement of PTAs must be supported by legal measures to ensure its sustainability. He highlighted that GNAT has long advocated for the revitalization and institutionalization of PTAs, describing them as vital platforms for fostering collaboration between parents and teachers to enhance school management and improve learning outcomes..
President Mahama had earlier, in June 2025, criticised the earlier suspension of PTAs as “unacceptable” and pledged their full restoration as part of his broader education reforms. According to Rev. Owusu, the restoration of PTAs “effectively returns the management of schools to the community,” adding that any future reversal would represent a significant setback to inclusive governance in education.
He emphasized the need for Parliament to “enact legislation that offers legal protection to PTAs, preventing future governments from arbitrarily dismantling or sidelining them.” Such a legislative measure, he argued, would provide the stability and long-term assurance needed for PTAs to make meaningful and sustained contributions to school development.
By: Leticia Osei
