The Role of Parent-Teachers’ Associations (Ptas) in the Management of Secondary Schools in Mbale Municipality in Mbale District, Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the extent to which Parent-Teachers’ Associations are involved in the management of secondary schools in Mbale Municipality. Specifically, the study assessed the extent to which PTAs are involved in the management of student discipline, established the extent to which PTAs are promoting cooperation among other stakeholders; and found out the role of PTAs support staff welfare in secondary schools in Mbale Municipality. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design in which structured questionnaires and face to face interviews were used to collect data from 292 respondents. The study found out that that the average mean for all the responses under objective one was 2.513 implying that PTAs’ level of involvement in student discipline is low. The study also found out that the average statistical mean for all the responses under objective two was 2.40 implying that the level of PTAs cooperation with other stakeholders was low. Lastly, the study found out that the average statistical mean for all the responses under objective three was 2.60 implying that level of PTAs’ support towards teachers’ welfare is low. The study recommends among others, that PTAs should come up with strategies that encourage parents to effectively participate in school management. This could be done through encouraging the parents to take up specific roles in school management and indicating the values of their involvement in school management let alone making it possible for them to participate in school managerial activities through conducting the managerial functions in which they are involved in ways and in modes of communication that the parents comfortably understand.