Education policy: Parent-teacher councils set to improve literacy in K-P

Aim to build confidence in parents about their children’s schooling.

PESHAWAR:

Twenty-three thousand parent-teacher councils (PTC) are currently working in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to improve literacy rates and involve more parents in their children’s education. The PTCs comprise five parents, a senior school teacher and a retired government employee.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Deputy Director for Elementary and Secondary Education Hamid Naveed Khan termed the establishment of the PTCs a revolutionary step for the community.

“Under this policy, the responsibility for the condition of schools lies on parents, teachers and school councils,” he said.

The scheme was first introduced in the 90’s, albeit with a comparatively limited scope, under the name ‘Parent-Teachers Association’. Its budget was increased to Rs1 million from Rs250,000 for the 2011-12 fiscal year. The increased budget will help repair and construct missing facilities in schools and aid in employing more teachers to previously vacant positions.

“The network of PTCs will also ensure that the public’s voice is while making the education policy,” Khan added.

K-P Director of Education and Literacy Rafique Khattak said the establishment of PTCs proved beneficial by resolving schools’ problems through community participation. He outlined some of the objectives of the PTCs, including enhancing the students’ learning environment, building confidence in parents about their children’s schools, increasing enrolment and creating awareness about the need for education among local communities.

At the same time, All Primary Teachers Association Provincial President Malik Khalid Khan said that due to the presence of PTCs, many teachers were performing their duties regularly.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2012.