Gazi Md. Abdur Rashid :
In order to ensure the overall development of students and also to develop the competitive spirit and the leadership qualities among the students, there is a Student`s cabinet system in the school to inculcate democratic spirit and spirit of responsibility. Students need to develop skills of being part of a team, of working together for a common goal and how to lead when opportunity presents itself. They have a voice in the matters that affect their lives and are provided with opportunities to participate in decision making. All the students are encouraged to participate in the student cabinet to develop leadership qualities. Work study and part-time hourly students are selected by the hiring committee each Spring to attend meetings, bringing the student perspective on campus-wide issues, and reporting back to the Cabinet which meets weekly to discuss the work of their committees. Sharing information helps identify common concerns, initiatives and efforts of various committees, thus promoting and deepening cross-campus collaboration.
The government has taken the initiative to form an eight-member Student`s cabinet comprising one head of representatives and seven cabinet members in every secondary schools and madrashas with a view to inculcate democratic values among students since adolescent, assisting teachers in teaching-learning activities and helping prevent dropout. The cabinet will be formed for one year in each educational institution with eight member representatives who will be elected by the direct votes of the students. Students from class-VI to Class-X will be included in the voter list. As per the election schedule any student can be candidate for the election. Each voter will be able to cast eight votes -one in each class and two each in three other classes. Within seven days of the election the cabinet’s first meeting will be held where associate members will be selected and an annual action plan will be formulated. The cabinet will hold on meeting in each month and the decision of the cabinet will be considered final. The cabinet will also hold a general meeting with the participation of general students after six months and the elected members will be accountable to the meeting. If any member fails to carry out his/her duties or unable to carry out his/her responsibility, he/she will resign and the vacancy will be filled up by the student who got the next highest votes. The teachers, managing committee and guardians will provide all-out assistance to the students. The candidates will not be able to use any symbol or printed posters for campaign during election.
The students’ cabinet will hold eight portfolios -environment conservation; books and learning materials; health; sports, culture and co-curriculum activities; water resources, tree plantation and gardening; observance of national and other different days, reception and entertainment; ICT. This initiative would help the students to understand the ideas of democracy and opinions of others, helping teachers to curb dropout rates at the educational institutions.
As a whole, the student`s cabinet will help maintain healthy atmosphere in the school and try to make irregular student regular through counseling. The electioneering students told the visiting journalists that they will be capable of taking the country’s democratic practice forward after best uses of their knowledge of leadership, resulted from the educational institutions. The Student`s cabinet is a very integral part of the school and comprises of a well-knit team of students. The cabinet is responsible for the maintenance of discipline in the school. They also shoulder the responsibility of organizing all cultural programmes and competitions held in the school. Being student representatives, the cabinet acts as an important link between the students and the school management. It is a collaborative effort where students leave the athletic field of competition, to work together in developing strategies that will have a positive impact on their peers. It provides a unique opportunity for youth to build relationships with students from other schools. Each school who has representation on the cabinet has ownership in the development, implementation, and success of the activities. The invitation to collaborate will enable us to do collectively what many may not be able to do or afford as an individual school. Student`s discipline, student and campus development activities are co-ordinate through the member of cabinet. Student cabinet is a service organization to the school and to the surrounding community. Student`s cabinet is made up of student representatives elected by their peers. The experiences gained from participating in Student`s cabinet include building leadership skills, strengthening social skills, hearing the “student voice” and accepting responsibility. If you have the desire to make a difference, Student`s cabinet will open doors to great opportunities and will be an experience that will last a lifetime.
(Gazi Md. Abdur Rashid, Research Officer, District Education Office (Secondary), Munshiganj)
