Parents and Teacher Associations (PTA), as well as Parents Teachers Committees (PTC) members, are unaware of their obligations as stipulated by law governing the organisation and functioning of schools, a new survey has shown.

Fight Illiteracy Youth Organisation (FIYO) commissioned the study earlier this year, and was conducted by Golden Rainbow Consult Ltd to assess the impact of PTCs in ensuring quality education in Rwanda.

The report, launched last week in Kigali, also showed that few parents are involved in school activities.

A sample size of 302 (156 women and 144 men) including parents, teachers and staff were statistically determined while 133 (79 men and 54 women) were school directors, members of PTCs, student representatives, Ministry of Education officials and representatives from non-government organisations as selected from 435 participants.

The survey was conducted in five districts, randomly selected from four provinces and Kigali. In each district, five schools under primary, Nine-Year Basic Education, 12-Year Basic Education, TVET, school of excellence were chosen from both private and public.

Moses Gahigi, the executive director of FIYO, said from random and convenience sampling methods such as questionnaire and interviews, it was found that majority of PTAs had few members.

"Besides, they were less committed to school activities,” Gaihigi said. "Within the private schools, head teachers and school owners overshadow the performance of these PTA, committees which can’t make final decisions.”

Areas in which PTCs were weak include understanding school leadership, following upon the teaching and learning of students, making decisions, supervision, enforcing discipline among students, managing school funds and assets among others.

However, the attendance of school general assemblies by mothers was slightly higher compared to fathers.

From 297 respondents, only 48 per cent of fathers attended the school general assembly meetings while the rest were female but, over all, parent involvement in school activities was low.

"Unless, there is thorough sensitisation on the role of the PTAs, most parents, teachers and administrators will not understand the importance of these committees,” Jean Vianney Makuza, a research consultant, said.

 The report also said most people surveyed were not committed and left the responsibilities to the chairperson and head teachers.

"At two schools in Karongi District, students and teachers are not represented on the committee,” Makuza said.

 The survey concluded that improving performance of the PTAs and PTCs needs awareness campaigns on laws and policies through user-friendly channels to improve participation in decision-making.