MPs want PTA funds oversight

Legislators have expressed concern on how Parents, Teachers Association (PTA) funds are being handled and the way they currently interfere with and affect learners’ schooling.

The concerns follow a question raised by Member of Parliament (MP) for Francistown West, Ignatius Moswaane on fundraising activities in primary schools. Moswaane had wanted to know if the Minister of Education and Skills Development was aware that primary schools are charging PTA fees ranging between P50 and P150 per annum and no official receipts are issued to parents.

He also wanted to know if the minister was aware of fundraising activities where parents are expected to pay P1 to P5 on some Fridays where children are expected to wear their clothes and still no receipts are issued to parents and how school heads account for such huge amounts of money.

Sharing the same sentiments as Moswaane, other legislators feared if most schools are failing to issue receipts as alleged, it could open room for corruption. They therefore pleaded with the Education ministry to regulate PTA funds.

The MPs further conceded to have also encountered similar challenges in their respective areas with learners barred from going to school after their parents had failed to contribute PTA funds.

Moswaane argued that if a school of 900 learners could contribute P50 each it means they have raised P45,000 whilst parents were not given receipts.

He further revealed an incident in which children who were supposed to be enrolled for Standard One in some school in Gerald, Francistown, were barred to be enrolled after their parents had failed to pay PTA fees.

“This is a serious problem if children can be denied their right to education despite the government offering free education to its citizens.

Moreover, you can imagine if all primary schools countrywide could contribute P45,000, how much will be raised that month?

The question is how will schools account for such funds and how it will be spent. I fear there is a possibility of these funds being misused,” Moswaane said.He further stated that the PTA funds have been a problem for learners because there were incidents in which some were not given their certificates after completing their Standard Seven only because their parents had failed to pay.

“These funds should not interfere with children’s schooling. I am pleading with your ministry to look into this matter urgently because it affects learners whilst it was an agreement between parents and teachers,” he said.

When responding, Minister Douglas Letsholathebe

said he was aware of Moswaane’s concerns because he has been receiving similar complaints in his constituency.

He further stated that PTA committees in all schools have their treasurers who have been appointed to administer and manage such finances and expectations are for them to issue out receipts.

Letsholathebe stated that deputy school heads have helped coordinate these funds and help PTAs to put money in the bank. “Government is offering education for free to its citizens and if

indeed children could not be enrolled for Standard One because their parents could not afford PTA funds, it was very wrong and that matter will be addressed accordingly because it is an agreement between parents and teachers that should not affect learners,” he said.

Moreover, Letsholathebe promised that the ministry will hold a meeting with the national PTA committee and address legislators’ concerns.

He further revealed an incident in which children who were supposed to be enrolled for Standard One in some school in Gerald, Francistown, were barred to be enrolled after their parents had failed

to pay PTA funds