The National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Established in 2006 as one of the principal elements under the Education System Transformation Programme (ESTP), the association’s mandate is to get parents more involved in the running of schools and the education of their children.

President of the NPTAJ, Everton Hannam, says the exclusion of parents by many schools in the system was one of the main reasons which led to the formation of the association.
Mr. Hannam’s 10th anniversary message was read by Hopal Watkis, Executive Member of the NPTAJ, Region 1, at a church service held at the Webster Memorial United Church in Kingston, recently. Services were also held across other education regions.

He said the visibility of the NPTAJ will continue on a path which must be considered as encouraging and positive, as the association engages stakeholders on issues relating to education and parents.

“We are represented on a number of established education-related committees, and we congratulate the Government of Jamaica, past and present, for engaging and continuing to include the NPTAJ in dialogue,” Mr. Hannam said.

Some of the organisations that the NPTAJ is actively involved in include the National Council on Education, the Jamaica Teaching Council, the National Parenting Support Commission, the Safe School Task Force and the Child Task Force.

Mr. Hannam said the achievements of the association over the past 10 years are laudable, and the next decade will define the strength and effectiveness of the organisation.

Research has shown that students with active and involved parents always do very well in all areas of their school life.

Source: Jamaica Information Service