President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Mark Malabver is proposing greater accountability for parents of students enrolled in the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) Programme.

Speaking to IRIE FM News, Mr. Malabver said many schools, particularly those with high populations of PATH students are struggling with low levels of parental involvement.

He said the issue is not the students themselves, but what he described as the absence of some parents from their children’s school life.

Mr. Malabver is calling for stronger conditions to be attached to the programme, including mandatory participation by parents in school initiatives.

He also noted that as schools continue to confront rising behavioural problems and incidents of violence among students, stronger parental support systems should be implemented across schools.