P.T.A. wants publicity

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33932, 27 August 1975, Page 14

P.T.A. wants publicity

The public generally underrated the role of parent - teacher associations in New Zealand, the president of the Canterbury Federation of P.T.A.S (Mrs R. I. Taylor) said yesterday.

They relegated the P.T.A. role to that of fund-raising, and failed to see that stirrings in education had given associations an opportunity to put forward public opinion in unprecedented ways, Mrs Taylor said. The New Zealand Parent Teacher Association is planning a national publicity week in August to involve all primary and secondary schools in the country. Local associations will use their own initiative to some extent to explain needs, and to plan projects, but regional federations will provide guidelines. The Minister of Education

(Mr Amos) will be asked to support the association’s quest for money, and moral support, and a nationwide education inquiry is planned.

The executive is also looking for a symbol for education week.

Children will be asked to compete to design one. Material for a television programme will also be gathered.

The national week was the outcome of NZ.P.TA.’s annual three day conference in Hamilton last week, at which the conference supported a pilot scheme for educational television, protested at overcrowded school buses, and the lack of official recognition given the organisation.

It also said that schools needed to accept more responsibility for moral and religious education, as opposed to Christian instruction, which was better confined to Sunday schools and Bible classes.