Revised Guidelines Governing Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) at the School Level #FreeStudentArticles

From Department of Education - Philippines

Revised Guidelines Governing Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) at the School Level #FreeStudentArticles

To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Public Schools District Supervisors
Heads, Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

General Policy

Every elementary and secondary school shall organize a Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) for the purpose of providing a forum for the discussion of issues and their solutions related to the total school program and to ensure the full cooperation of parents in the efficient implementation of such program.
Every PTA shall provide mechanisms to ensure proper coordination with the members of the community, provide an avenue for discussing relevant concerns and provide assistance and support to the school for the promotion of their common interest. Standing committees may be created within the PTA organization to coordinate with community members. Regular fora may be conducted with local government units, civic organizations and other stakeholders to foster unity and cooperation.

As an organization operating in the school, the PTA shall adhere to all existing policies and implementing guidelines issued or hereinafter may be issued by the Department of Education.

The PTA shall serve as support group and as a significant partner of the school whose relationship shall be defined by cooperative and open dialogue to promote the welfare of the students.

Organization of PTAs at the School Level

Membership in a PTA is limited to parents, or in their absence the guardian, of duly enrolled students, and teachers in a given school.

For this purpose, a guardian is hereby defined as any of the following: a) an individual authorized by the biological parent/s to whom the care and custody of the student has been entrusted; b) a relative of the student within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity provided that said relative has the care and custody over the child; c) an individual appointed by a competent court as the legal guardian of the student; or d) in case of an orphan, the individual/institution who has the care and custody of the student.

A teacher-member refers to homeroom advisers, subject teachers, and non-teaching personnel.

Within fifteen (15) days from the start of the school year the Homeroom Adviser and the Parents/Guardians shall organize the Homeroom PTA with the approval of the School Head.

The elected presidents of the Homeroom PTAs and their respective Homeroom Advisers shall elect the Board of Directors within thirty (30) days from the start of the school year. The Board of Directors shall immediately elect from among themselves the executive officers of the PTA on the same day of their election to the Board.

The official name of the PTA shall bear the name of the school (example: Parents-Teachers Association of Rizal High School or Rizal High School Parents-Teachers Association).

For representation in the Local School Board and other purposes, the schools’ PTAs within a municipality or city or province shall federate and select from among the elected Presidents their respective officers. The president-elect shall sit as representative of the Federation to the said Local School Board.

General Assembly

The General Assembly shall be composed of all parents of enrolled students of the school, Board of Directors and Officers of the PTA, School Head, Homeroom Advisers, Subject-Teachers, and Non-Teaching Personnel.

The General Assembly shall be convened by the PTA Board of Directors immediately after the PTA has been organized. The General Assembly shall be convened as may be necessary but in no case less than twice a year. The Board shall coordinate with the School Head as to time, venue and other details of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly shall be a venue for presentation and discussion of the PTA’s programs, projects, financial statements, reports and other matters.

The General Assembly may invite or consult with other members of the community such as local government officials and civic organizations to solicit their support or active participation in school activities.

Board of Directors and Officers

The administration of the affairs and management of activities of the PTA is vested with the Board of Directors and its officers in accordance with these guidelines or their respective Constitution and By-Laws, if any, which shall adhere to the following:
The Board of Directors shall be composed of fifteen (15) members who shall elect from among themselves the association’s executive officers; namely: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, or other equivalent positions, who shall oversee the day-to-day activities of the associations;

Parent-members shall comprise two-thirds (2/3) and teacher-members one-third (1/3) of the Board of Directors;
A teacher-member cannot hold any position in the PTA except as a member of the Board of Directors or as Secretary;

The School Head shall not serve as a member of the Board of Directors but as adviser to the PTA;

The term of office of the Board of Directors and its Officers shall be one (1) year from the date of election. In no case shall a PTA Board Director serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms;

In case of vacancy in the Board of Directors as a result of expulsion, resignation or death, the vacancy shall be filled, for the unexpired term of the office, by a majority vote of the Board of Directors from among the Presidents of Homeroom PTAs in a special meeting called for such purpose.

Among the committees that may be formed to handle specific activities of the PTAs are: a) Committee on Finance; b) Committee on Programs and Projects; c)

Audit Committee; d) Election Committee; e) Grievance Committee; f) Ways and Means Committee; g) Committee on External and Community Affairs;

The heads of the committees shall preferably come from the Board of Directors, Homeroom Presidents and Homeroom Advisers; and
The PTA may or may not be incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If incorporated, the registered entity shall, as far as practicable, be used in the organization of the PTA by the elected Board of Directors. In any event, the formal notification by the elected Board of Directors outlined below and the issuance of the Certificate of Recognition by the School Head shall be the operative act to recognize the PTA.

Recognition and Monitoring of PTAs

There shall be only one PTA that will operate in a school which shall be recognized by the School Head upon formal notification in writing by the elected Board of Directors. The recognition shall be valid for one year from the date of election.
Together with the formal notification in writing, the elected Board of Directors shall submit Oaths of Office of the Board of Directors and Officers (Enclosure No. 1) including a list of directors and officers.

A Division PTA Affairs Committee shall be created in the Division Office to be composed of the following:

Chairperson - Schools Division Superintendent
Members - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Division Administrative Officer
Division Education Supervisor (In-Charge of PTA)
Division PESPA President (Elementary)
or Division NAPSSHI President (Secondary) President of the Division Federation of PTA
President of the Division Federation of SSG

The Division PTA Affairs Committee shall monitor the activities of the PTAs and their compliance with reports and other requirements, arbitrate disputes and settle matters that may be submitted to it for resolution especially on PTA representation issue.

Privileges of Recognized PTAs

A PTA is authorized to collect voluntary contributions from parents/guardian-members once it has been duly recognized and given a Certificate of Recognition by the School Head (Enclosure No. 2). Such collections, however, shall be subject to pertinent issuances of the DepED and/or existing pertinent ordinances of the local government unit concerned, if any.

In addition, a duly recognized PTA shall have the following privileges:

The DepED may allow the PTA to construct a building or structure within the school premises for its office, provided however, that the PTA shall donate such building or structure and other permanent fixtures to the school. Any improvement made on such building, structure or fixture that cannot be removed from such building or structure without causing damage thereto shall be deemed the property of the school. A written agreement shall be executed before the improvement or construction. A Deed of Donation shall also be executed by and between the PTA and the school immediately after the completion of the improvement or construction;

The use of any available space within the school premises as its office or headquarters, provided, that costs pertinent to electricity, water and other utilities shall be for the account of the PTA; provided however, that should the school need such space, the PTA shall so vacate the space immediately. The maintenance and improvement of the office shall be in accordance with the School Improvement Plan;

Representation in the School Governing Council;

Authorization to undertake fund-raising activities to support the school’s academic and co-curricular programs, projects and activities subject to pertinent DepED guidelines;

Participation in the school’s inspection and acceptance committee and as an observer in the school’s procurement activities subject to the provisions of R.A. No. 9184; and

Collaboration in relevant school activities.

Activities

All PTA activities within the school premises or which involve the school, its personnel or students shall be with prior consultation and approval of the School Head.

Financial Matters

Such collections shall be made by the PTA subject to the following conditions:

If collection of the School Publications Fee, Supreme Student Government (SSG) Developmental Fund and other club membership fees and contributions is coursed through the PTA as requested by the concerned organization, the amount collected shall be remitted immediately to the school, SSG or other student organizations concerned on the day it was collected. The pertinent organization shall deposit the funds with a reputable bank on the next banking day under the organization’s account. No service fee shall be charged against any student organization by the PTA.

Non-compliance or any violation of the aforementioned conditions shall be a ground for the cancellation of the PTA’s recognition and/or the filing of appropriate charges as the case may be.

Policy on Collection of Contributions

Cognizant of the need of an organization for adequate funds to sustain its operations, a duly recognized PTA may collect voluntary financial contributions from members and outside sources to enable it to fund and sustain its operation and the implementation of its programs and projects exclusively for the benefit of the students and the school where it operates. The PTA’s programs and projects shall be in line with the School Improvement Plan (SIP).

The contributions should be a reasonable amount as may be determined by the PTA Board of Directors;

Non-payment of the contributions by the parent-member shall not be a basis for non-admission or non-issuance of clearance(s) to the child by the school concerned;

The contributions shall be collected by the PTA Treasurer on a per parent-member basis regardless of the number of their children in school;

No collection of PTA contributions shall be done during the enrollment period; and

No teacher or any school personnel shall be involved in such collection activities.

Safekeeping of Funds

All collections of contributions or proceeds of fundraising activities shall be deposited in a reputable banking institution as determined by the Board of Directors. The PTA’s Treasurer or a duly authorized representative shall undertake the collection and shall issue official receipts/acknowledgement receipts.

In no case shall any school official or personnel be entrusted with the safekeeping and disbursement of collections made by the PTA. All disbursements of funds shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

All disbursements shall be accompanied by appropriate resolutions indicating thereof the purposes for which such disbursements are made.

No cash advances shall be allowed without valid liquidation of previous cash advances.


Financial Statement Report

The books of accounts and other financial records of the PTA shall be made available for inspection by the School Head and/or the Division PTA Affairs Committee at any time.

An Annual Financial Statement signed jointly by the PTA President, Treasurer and Auditor shall be submitted to the School Head not later than thirty (30) days after the last day of classes. Such financial statement shall be audited by an external and independent auditor, posted in the PTA Bulletin Board, and presented to the General Assembly during the next school year.

The PTA shall also submit to the School Head not later than November 30, a mid-school year financial statement report ending October 30 duly audited and signed by the members of the PTA’s audit committee.

Failure to submit such financial statement report shall be a ground for the cancellation of the recognition of the PTA by the Division PTA Affairs Committee upon the recommendation of the School Head.


Transparency and Accountability
For purposes of transparency and accountability, all documents pertaining to the operations of the PTA shall be open to public examination.

PTA are required to install a PTA Bulletin Board outside of its office where announcements, approved resolutions, required reports and financial statements shall be posted.


Prohibited Activities and Sanctions

PTAs are prohibited from:

Interfering in the academic and administrative management and operations of the school, and of the DepED, in general;
Engaging in any partisan political activity within school premises;

Operating a canteen/school supplies store, or being a concessionaire thereof inside the school or nearby premises, or offering these services to the school as its client either directly or indirectly;

Selling insurance, pre-need plans or similar schemes or programs to students and/or their parents; and

Such other acts or circumstances analogous to the foregoing.

PTA Officers and members of the Board of Directors are prohibited from collecting salaries, honoraria, emoluments or other forms of compensation from any of the funds collected or received by the PTA.

PTAs shall have no right to disburse, or charge any fees as service fees or percentages against the amount collected pertinent to the School Publication Fee, Supreme Student Government (SSG) Developmental Fund and other club membership fees and contributions.

In no case shall a PTA or any of its officers or members of the Board of Directors call upon students and teachers for purposes of investigation or disciplinary action. 

The recognition of any PTA shall be cancelled by the Division PTA Affairs Committee upon the recommendation of the School Head concerned for any violation of the above-mentioned prohibited activities and these Guidelines.

Thereafter, the School Head may call for a special election to replace the Board of Directors of the PTA whose recognition was cancelled. Criminal, civil and/or administrative actions may be taken against any member or officer of the Board of the PTA who may appear responsible for failure to submit the necessary annual financial statements or for failure to account the funds of the PTA.


Transitory Provision

Existing and duly recognized PTCAs and its Federations shall no longer be given recognition effective School Year 2009-2010. They shall cease operation at the end of School Year 2008-2009 and given until June 30, 2009 to dissolve, wind up their activities, submit their financial reports and turn-over all documents to the School Heads and Schools Division Superintendents, respectively.

Repealing Clause

All existing DepED Memoranda, Orders and other administrative issuances of similar nature which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby deemed repealed and superseded accordingly.
Strict implementation of this Order is directed.