
The Parent Teacher Association of Guyana was launched today at the Parc Rayne Hall, with a commitment to drive innovation, amplify voices, and transform schools across the country.
President of the Parent Teacher Association of Guyana (PTAG), Michele Fraser, said the umbrella association, is intended to expand the scope of PTAs in the country, in an effort to enhance the learning experience of nation’s children.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey towards fostering a collaborative environment where educators and parents unite for the common goal of enhancing our children’s educational experience…The COVID-19 Pandemic underscored the critical importance of a strong parent-teacher participation. As schools shifted to remote learning, families faced unprecedented challenges, the PTA became a lifeline providing support, resources and a sense of community,” Fraser said.
PTAG is expected to provide oversight over every PTA – from nursery to secondary – while collaborating with key stakeholders and providing much needed representation. It is also expected to empower and unite its members, while acting as an advocacy body.
The launch of the national body comes at a time when a gridlock between the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) on a wage package for teachers, has resulted in an almost four-month strike, forcing many schools to close their doors.
But when confronted on the issue today, the President of PTAG said while the association was in place since 2021, when an interim body was elected, it is still to consult with PTAs at the regional and local levels on the impact that the ongoing strike is having on the Education System.

“Even though we were established in 2021, we have not, as yet, engaged with PTAs from schools, therefore, to get involve in the situation between the teachers and the ministry would be presumptuous on our part. We have a long process before we can actually find out from the PTAs the effects. I mean, we can see them but specifically, we would have to engage PTA bodies, so that we can find out how we can effect help for them,” the PTAG President explained.
She said today’s launch is the start of the work of the PTAG, and it intends to engage the majority if not all of the more than 1,000 PTAs spread across the country. She said the PTAG is about action, and it plans to review systems, empower members, and champion the welfare of children, but there is a long road ahead.
General Secretary of the PTAG, Sheik Sadiq said going forward, the national body will be working with the National Coordinator for PTAs at the level of the Ministry of Education to acquire the necessary data on PTAs in the country, and their structures.
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