THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) will call an emergency meeting with school divisions superintendents to clarify several points about the order dissolving the Parents-Teachers Community Association (PTCA) in public schools.
DepEd regional director Susana Teresa B. Estigoy said she would welcome suggestions, comments and reactions from the superintendents, teachers and parents who are valuable partners in the country’s educational system.
Estigoy said whatever feedbacks from the fora will be relayed to Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.
Lorenzo E. Mendoza, DepEd-XI regional supervisor, in a phone interview said the Parents, Teachers, and Community Association (PTCA) was not totally abolished according Department Order No. 54 but but only redirected it to its original function.
Mendoza said the PTCA will now be restricted to parents or guardians who have children enrolled in public schools based on the recommendation of the high DepEd officials after noting that members of the community outnumber the parents and guardians.
“DepEd wants only parents and teachers there at least it will not be very chaotic,” he said. Mendoza said the election of PTA officials are slated every last week of the month or the first week of July.
Estigoy said for several years, the PTCA has been the subject of complaints that strained the relationship among principals, teachers and even parents relative to collection of fees and donations.
Under the new regulation, school administrators will only recognize the Parents-Teachers Association and no longer the PTCA.
She said that the PTA is composed exclusively of the parents of pupils enrolled and teachers in a given school while the PTCA is composed of the parents and teachers of the given school and the members of the immediate community where the school is located.
“Under the transitory provision of DepEd order No. 54, school heads will only recognize the PTA as the sole organization of the parents and teachers, and not the PTCA,” Estigoy said.
She also explained that under the new order, the definition of parents would include not only blood relations but also the guardian of the pupil as provided for by the Family Code of the Philippines.
Estigoy said the order stresses the election of officers of the PTA must start from the homeroom level.
“After that all officers of the homeroom together with the teachers and non-teaching personnel convene and would choose 15 members of the board from whom the officers of the overall PTA organization will be selected,” she said.
Estigoy said that the order underscores that the board must be composed of 10 parents and five teachers while the set of officers will comprise of the parents with the teacher acting only as secretary.
She also said school heads can only serve as adviser. (with reports from Jose G. Dalumpines)
Credits: Mindanao Times