By Victor Ochieng’
vochieng.90@gmail.com.
Mr. Philip Maina Waweru, the Chief Principal of Jomo Kenyatta Boys in Nakuru understands the essence of having a strong student council in secondary school. It is the best way to curb chaos and silence spate of strikes. This deft administrator thrives because he is propped up by a well-trained student council, which is the main thesis of my write-up: In-depth training of the student council enhances effective and efficient governance of schools.
- Prefects are eyes and ears
When members of the student council are taken through a well-thought-out training programme, they eventually act as the bridge between the administration and student body. Tremendous training and tutelage makes them understand the two metaphors: they are the eyes and the ears of the administration. This friend and father figure, achieves this ambit by ensuring that through guided democracy – conjunction of selection and election – they get smart student leaders, who are not populists and puppets per se, but those who understand the true definition of leadership as Dr. John C. Maxwell aptly puts it: Leadership is the power to influence. Nothing more, Nothing less!
Of course, that influence must be positive. Student leaders should use their positions of puissance and influence to shape the acceptable conduct and character in students. This is achieved when they act as role models and mentors in the school. This cannot come to pass without tremendous training.
- The training framework
In-depth training programme should make the student leaders understand the concept of leadership. They should be trained on specific and general roles. The trainer(s) should shed bright light on stupendous leadership styles and skills. The student council should know qualities of effective councillors and the grievous goofs they should shun. They should know chilling challenges prefects face. Challenges that bedevil schools plus possible solutions. Student leaders should be trained on disaster management and mitigation measures. By and large, they should know how to keep the school safe and conducive for learning. They should be sensitised on principles of punishment. Being that the student council help the Deputy Principal (administration) to enforce discipline in the school, the trainers should explore forms of discipline and examples of indiscipline cases that should be fought with ferocity. The student council should be trained on basics of collaboration, communication and wonderful ways of convening effective meetings. Over and above, they should know how to strike a beautiful balance between leadership and academics. They should be taken through stupendous study strategies, enhancement of content mastery, memory and exam preparation techniques.
- Perks and privileges for prefects
Focusing on our case study, through the astute arrangement of the Chief Principal Jomo Kenyatta Boys, our God’s Pen Consultancy has been contacted twice to induct and train the student council. We have also trained several councils in copious counties across the country. But Jomo Kenyatta Boys in particular, is spectacular and peculiar. Unlike other schools which only dedicate a few hours to this pertinent process, the able leadership of Jomo Kenyatta Boys sanctifies three days for it. The Chief Principal understands how to boost the morale and motivation of young men who help him steer the school towards the stunning shores of success. Through this training programme, he hits several birds with one stone. The training is welded well with a tremendous trip. They do it at a place called Bomas in Nakuru. After the two-day training they go for an exquisite excursion to see the scenic Subukia Shrines. During the training, he satiates the fat appetite of the teens through provision of yummy meals – good food. At the tail-end of training, there is the issuance of certificates, badges and special uniforms. The pleasant principal makes the prefects understand some of the perks and privileges they will enjoy while working. He assures them that there will be both verbal and written commendations for councillors who will stand out in that short stint. The principal encourages teachers to praise prefects in public, but criticise them in private. The school sets aside a small office for the school captain and his assistance, and also provides a place where weekly council meetings can be convened.
- Role of the student council
Dear reader, it is during the training that the student leaders are apprised of their responsibilities (response plus abilities) in the school. Being ‘effective’ means that they become skilful on how they deal with fellow students and teachers. But being ‘efficient’ implies that they get to know how to handle the tools of work put at their disposal. On their general roles as student leaders, they should provide guidance, motivate and inspire other students. These councillors should create coordination in the school. They should initiate action in the school, by ensuring that the school routine is followed to the letter. In addition, student leaders should represent their school in a marvellous manner. When out of school, en route home, they should carry out themselves with due dignity and decorum. For instance, dress decently and avoid aberrant behaviour quite rampant among some mal-adjusted teenagers. Student leaders should represent their school well through attainment of epic and peak performance in academics.
- Way forward/Action plan
In the whole scheme of things, an in-depth training is concluded with some way forward or action plan. Student leaders are given appointment letters that congratulate them and spells out the terms of reference – giant list of duties. They take a solemn oath into office; making a public pronouncement that they shall not betray the administration; come rain, come shine. Every councillor is given a copy of school rules and regulations to be stashed in the file for sporadic reference. Prefects are challenged to develop sub-rules. Every prefect is asked to formulate five novel ideas. Senior members of the council are advised to ensure that there is a duty rota and calendar of events. The council is guided on how to convene weekly meetings and regular briefings. Finally, after the training, every prefect is asked to pen a missive addressing the principal capturing three thrilling things: One; what has been learnt, Two; how it is going to be implemented, Three; the promise as student leaders and Four; things to be grateful about.
The writer trains student leaders in schools – Prefects, Peer Counsellors, Career Counsellors, Group Leaders and Societies/Movements/Club Officials.
