craig aquino,
According to the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) Student Handbook, one of the duties of the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA), the school’s student council, is to represent the student body of the school.
However, as it stands, they seem only to be glorified event planners.
Although the members of the PKA technically do represent the students, in that they were elected through democratic vote, they are unable to perform this function effectively.
There are too few officers coming from too small a demographic to truly be representative of the whole student body. Because there is no criterion for running which ensures that the various sectors of the school, which include organisations as well as grade levels, are represented, we cannot actually say that the PKA is as inclusive as possible in its representation.
Besides that, the small number of officers means that they will have difficulties in performing all the duties expected of them, which include representing the student body, maintaining order and discipline in the school, initiating and organizing programs and activities for students, and serving the nation through outreach activities. Often, it is the representation duty that draws the short stick. Some student concerns therefore, regardless of importance, are overlooked.
For these reasons, one can see that the student government is lacking in terms of how easily and effectively they can act on other students’ feedback on school issues.
There is also not enough opportunity for dissenting voices to make themselves heard. Because of that, valuable insight on certain issues may be missed, preventing more inclusive solutions and responses.
What then can be done? A student deliberative assembly.
A deliberative assembly is a group of people who use parliamentary procedure in order to make decisions. It follows a structured and organized way of debate and discussion to ultimately pass a product — a bill, resolution, or law in the context of government — to which most agree.
This student assembly would work similar to a parliament or congress. Certain students will be elected by sector — possibly homerooms or batches, and clubs — to represent their respective organizations in the deliberative body. This body will then hold regular meetings in order to debate and discuss issues faced by students, and eventually create formal documents containing their recommendations and suggestions regarding these. The documents can then be passed on to the school’s executive committee for consideration.
The benefit of this system is two-fold:
Primarily and most obviously, this will allow students to be more involved in school issues which ultimately affect them. It will give them an opportunity to voice out their concerns and suggestions regarding the school. These concerns and suggestions can then be discussed in a formal forum in which the members are elected from different sectors, thus ensuring that multiple perspectives are considered.
Additionally, because the students will be involved in the process for decisions affecting them, they will have a better understanding of the reasons behind those decisions, and therefore finding such more amenable.
Second, it will teach students skills and knowledge about proper governance, responsible decision-making, diplomacy, argumentation, public speaking, and many others.
These skills help to make one a more well-rounded person, able to interact with others well, defend one’s stance, and be more critical of societal issues. They ultimately enable us to become better members of society.
It is true that implementation of this will take a lot of effort. However, if it does succeed, it will ensure that the spirit of democracy shall grow stronger and continue to prosper in our school. It would truly be a government of the students, by the students, for the students.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva
Opinion: Of the students, by the students, for the students
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| Photo Credit: Ezra Bustamante |
According to the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) Student Handbook, one of the duties of the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (PKA), the school’s student council, is to represent the student body of the school.
However, as it stands, they seem only to be glorified event planners.
Although the members of the PKA technically do represent the students, in that they were elected through democratic vote, they are unable to perform this function effectively.
There are too few officers coming from too small a demographic to truly be representative of the whole student body. Because there is no criterion for running which ensures that the various sectors of the school, which include organisations as well as grade levels, are represented, we cannot actually say that the PKA is as inclusive as possible in its representation.
Besides that, the small number of officers means that they will have difficulties in performing all the duties expected of them, which include representing the student body, maintaining order and discipline in the school, initiating and organizing programs and activities for students, and serving the nation through outreach activities. Often, it is the representation duty that draws the short stick. Some student concerns therefore, regardless of importance, are overlooked.
For these reasons, one can see that the student government is lacking in terms of how easily and effectively they can act on other students’ feedback on school issues.
There is also not enough opportunity for dissenting voices to make themselves heard. Because of that, valuable insight on certain issues may be missed, preventing more inclusive solutions and responses.
What then can be done? A student deliberative assembly.
A deliberative assembly is a group of people who use parliamentary procedure in order to make decisions. It follows a structured and organized way of debate and discussion to ultimately pass a product — a bill, resolution, or law in the context of government — to which most agree.
This student assembly would work similar to a parliament or congress. Certain students will be elected by sector — possibly homerooms or batches, and clubs — to represent their respective organizations in the deliberative body. This body will then hold regular meetings in order to debate and discuss issues faced by students, and eventually create formal documents containing their recommendations and suggestions regarding these. The documents can then be passed on to the school’s executive committee for consideration.
The benefit of this system is two-fold:
Primarily and most obviously, this will allow students to be more involved in school issues which ultimately affect them. It will give them an opportunity to voice out their concerns and suggestions regarding the school. These concerns and suggestions can then be discussed in a formal forum in which the members are elected from different sectors, thus ensuring that multiple perspectives are considered.
Additionally, because the students will be involved in the process for decisions affecting them, they will have a better understanding of the reasons behind those decisions, and therefore finding such more amenable.
Second, it will teach students skills and knowledge about proper governance, responsible decision-making, diplomacy, argumentation, public speaking, and many others.
These skills help to make one a more well-rounded person, able to interact with others well, defend one’s stance, and be more critical of societal issues. They ultimately enable us to become better members of society.
It is true that implementation of this will take a lot of effort. However, if it does succeed, it will ensure that the spirit of democracy shall grow stronger and continue to prosper in our school. It would truly be a government of the students, by the students, for the students.//by Craig Aquino and Cyrille Villanueva
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