Mombasa: The Ministry of Education has been urged to incorporate student elections into education policies as a strategy to nurture responsible leadership, promote civic responsibility, foster healthy competition, and curb student unrest in schools.
According to Kenya News Agency, Bright International Academy Principal Dan Odongo emphasized that student elections provide learners with an opportunity to exercise democratic rights and participate in the management of their school. Speaking during the school’s student council elections conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Mr. Odongo noted that the institution had embedded student elections in its calendar to give learners a voice in choosing their representatives.
Mr. Odongo highlighted the importance of nurturing civic responsibility among students, preparing them to become responsible citizens. ‘For this reason, we adopt a system of leadership whereby the students have a say, and they have a voice in electing their leaders. Through this, several things can be sorted out, including voicing the needs of the children, voicing in such a way that their voices are respected by the very people and persons that they did elect,’ he stated.
The student elections were preceded by peaceful campaigns, offering important lessons to the electorate as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election. Mr. Odongo reiterated that, besides academic instruction, the school seeks to nurture democratic and patriotic citizens. He emphasized that fostering a leadership that respects each other from the outset is crucial, as it demonstrates that competition is not about cutthroat affairs.
Mr. Odongo also noted that student elections are an important strategy for addressing unrest, chaos, and violence in schools and society. Learners can channel their needs and concerns through elected leaders, who would then communicate them to the school management.
Asad Faisal, a Grade Five pupil and candidate for the Vice President position, expressed his commitment to championing the inclusion of all students in school activities if elected. Rayyan Hashim, a Grade Six pupil running for the President position, shared her aspiration to provide exemplary and servant leadership.
IEBC Assistant Registration Officer Elizabeth Kuvuna praised the school for allowing students to exercise their democratic rights, stating that the initiative was preparing them for future participation in civic duties. She also urged the youth and other eligible Kenyans who have not registered as voters to visit IEBC offices and register to participate in next year’s polls, highlighting the low voter registration in Mombasa and calling for concerted efforts by stakeholders to increase the number of registered voters.
