SMCs have been advised

...to desist from interfering in school administration Toase (Ash), Feb 27, GNA - School Management Committees (SMCs) and executives of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) have been advised to desist from interfering in the administration of basic schools. Mr Richard Owusu-Agyemang, the Community Participation Co-ordinator (CPC) of Atwima-Nwabiagya District, said such acts defeated the aims and objectives of the educational structures established in the school communities by the Ghana Education Service (GES). He was speaking at an education durbar organized by the Toase Catholic Primary School as part of activities marking the Catholic Education Week at Toase last Friday.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang said the GES recognized the importance of reciprocal partnership between school-community leaders and local school authorities in effecting quality changes in schools but was not happy about the increasing reported cases of encroachment of the authority of teachers.

The functions of the SMCs, he said, include the strengthening of community participation for quality education delivery and the control of the school's general policy. He said the community organizations have an important role to play in enforcing standards, developing and maintaining school infrastructure and developing and creating partnership among the teachers, pupils and the parents.

The Co-ordinator said efficient school governance could only be established if the school community partnership was strengthened. He therefore advised the SMCs and PTAs to help the school authorities to solve conflicts in schools and refer serious disciplinary cases to the education directorate.