Every year at about this time, schools hold student council elections in preparation for the incoming school year. Is this annual exercise really needed? To be more specific, what is the student council’s role in the school community and the lives of the student population, the teachers, and the school administrators?

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What is a Student Council?

A Student Council is a representative structure wherein students are given the opportunity to participate and become involved in school affairs, while working hand-in-hand with school officials, teachers, staff, and parents. Its main goal is hinged on providing benefit to the school and its students. This is in recognition of the fact that students have much to contribute in terms of ideas and actual work towards attaining a comprehensive education environment.

Advantages of Having a Student Council

 

Develop Leaders

There is no better venue for the youth to develop their leadership skills than in school. Faced with real challenges affecting their “constituents”, they find themselves tapping into their potentials to come up with proposed solutions they can present to their partners (school administrators and staff, teachers, and parents). They will soon realize that commitment forms a big chunk of any successful proposal, something that develops true leaders which will redound to the benefit of the school, the students, and the society in the future.

Promote Sense of Responsibility

Being part of the decision-making process promotes a sense of shared responsibility in students. They learn to take responsibility for projects to see them through completion. In return, they get the feeling of accomplishment, making them more confident to take on bigger responsibilities in the future.

Enhance Communication 

School policies are accepted and followed more smoothly when understood by the student population. The student council serves as the students’ voice since it is not very practical to be asking every student about each of their concerns. What having a student council provides is the communication channel to bring valid concerns to the right forum and back.

Electing Members of the Student Council

Every level should be part of a Student Council to ensure equal representation. Election is typically done by secret ballot. The winning candidates meet prior to the start of the new school year to organize and plan further action.

My Say

In an elections exercise, popularity is admittedly an advantage but it does not necessarily decide the outcome. However, it is imperative for a party or a candidate to be seen as the worthy choice, having the determination and the capability to enact changes never before seen that will benefit the school and the students. Anything less  reduces elections to a popularity contest for what is there left for voters to base their votes on if there is nothing that inspires them to take a chance?

pio@blink

I thought I’ve seen all possible sides of my son’s character and then he comes to me and say that he is running as Vice President- External for the Student Council. Who am I to decide what he can or cannot do? In true family tradition, we support him all the way as he offers himself, along with other members of the Blink Party, the better alternative. Go Pio! Go Blink!