Caribbean PTA groups embrace CXC, CDB Initiative for a regional Parent-Teacher Association

Published by BBNTEAM at March 25, 2025

Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2025. 8:52 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) have unveiled their vision to establish a Regional Parent-Teacher Association (RPTA). This initiative aims to consolidate and enhance engagement between parents and teachers throughout the region.

The announcement follows a successful stakeholder engagement session earlier this month, where over 30 representatives from various national and school-based parent-teacher associations (PTAs) and parent advocacy groups throughout the Caribbean unanimously expressed their support for the RPTA. The proposed body will focus on fostering cooperation among national PTAs, improving communication with Ministries of Education, and advocating for educational improvements that will benefit students, teachers, and parents alike.

Dr Wayne Wesley, Registrar and CEO of CXC, emphasized the importance of parental involvement in education, stating, “CXC is highly supportive of the creation of a Regional PTA to create another avenue for parental perspectives to be incorporated into the regional decision and policymaking process.” He highlighted the established channels through which National PTAs can share their insights with respective Ministries of Education, reinforcing the need for parent voices in shaping educational outcomes.

At the meeting, Dr Martin Baptiste, the Bank’s Division Chief of the Social Sector, echoed these sentiments, underscoring the critical role of parental input in regional development. “The value of parental input in the regional development process is, without question, of vital importance,” he stated, expressing the Bank’s commitment to collaborating with parental associations to bring the Regional PTA to fruition.

Plans for further engagement include co-hosting the Second Transforming Education Symposium and Policy Dialogue in Barbados in September 2025, focusing on parent involvement and the launch of the RPTA. The event will feature a training and development workshop for national PTAs, aiming to finalize a constitution for the Regional PTA based on existing frameworks from the National PTAs of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica.

Zena Ramatali, 1st Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Council of PTAs (TTNPTA), expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “Our hearts are full for this proposal for a Regional PTA, we are elated and ready to bring the work on the constitution to a conclusion.” Her sentiments were echoed by other leaders from PTAs across the Caribbean, highlighting a unifying moment for parent-teacher collaboration in the region.

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