Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has clarified that parents have the option to support their children's schools by contributing money to developmental projects. In an interview with Adekyee Nsoroma on UTV, the Minister explained that the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in each school can make contributions in cash or kind to support their children's education. However, he emphasized that the contributions should be voluntary, and parents should not be compelled to pay a fixed amount.
The Minister also emphasized that students should not be expelled if their parents do not contribute to school projects. Furthermore, he clarified that the Ministry of Education does not support PTAs levying parents to fund developmental projects like building a classroom or buying school buses.
According to Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, PTAs used to collect funds to pay for utilities before the implementation of Free Senior High School education. However, since the government now pays for these utilities, the PTA levy has become unnecessary.
The Minister also noted that alumni of senior high schools are welcome to contribute voluntarily to support their former schools. He suggested that with the advent of mobile money, it is easier to solicit funds to support schools.
In summary, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has clarified that parents can contribute voluntarily to support their children's schools, but they should not be forced to pay a fixed amount. He also emphasized that PTAs should not levy parents to fund developmental projects, and students should not be expelled if their parents do not contribute to school projects.
