Lesson one in democracy

TEACHER STRESS levels decrease in schools which have effective school councils, a recent London conference on student rights and participation was told.

It is generally agreed that the benefits of good school councils also include an overall improvement in discipline. The conference, called Pupils as Partners: The UN Convention and Children's Civil Rights, probed beyond this argument.

In this State, the White Paper on Education recognises the role of councils and recommends setting one up in each second level school. However, according to Eamonn Waters of the National Youth Council, "the recommendation places the function of a school council within the context of discipline.

"To be truly beneficial a school council should move beyond the realms of discipline and recognise the rights of students to be represented at board level and to play a role in decision making with regard to all matters that affect them," Waters says. This view was reflected in the results of a British pilot project with school councils in primary and secondary schools.

Jessica Gold, development officer of Schools Councils UK, says "the project showed that where the school council is effective, relationships between pupils and teachers improve, a more conducive learning environment evolves and the students develop skills and an understanding of the democratic process."

Schools Councils UK emerged from the pilot project as a training and consultancy organisation. "The initiative stems from looking at how effective communities work - which is by everyone in the community having a say; recognising a school as a community; realising pupils should have that say as part of the school community," Gold says. Gerison Lansdown, director of the Children's Rights Office in Britain, agrees that systems work better if everyone concerned has some involvement. "People respond better when they are enlisted as active contributors whose opinions are valued and recognised.

"If pupils are to experience some ownership of the school, to develop some sense of commitment towards it then they need to have the opportunities to be involved in the decisions of the school that affect them on a daily basis," Lansdown says.

She believes effective school councils foster self esteem among students. "One of the most effective means if acquiring a sense of self worth conies from hating dour opinion taken seriously," she says.

Actively participating in decision making also helps students develop a sense of responsibility. "If children are to learn that they have responsibilities to others, they need to experience the opportunity to share in decision making, to learn that their opinions are valued," Lansdown says.

Several teachers and principals at the conference had seen this sense of responsibility grow due to school councils. One principal had given the school council a budget for improvements on the basis that the same budget would cater for repairs due to acts of vandalism - and he found the incidence of vandalism dropped significantly.

SOME STUDENTS at the conference who had school councils felt disillusioned by the lack of interest shown by teachers and their classmates - and by general frustration with the process. Jessica Gold stressed that the school council had to work effectively if it was to be of any value.

"There are a number of essential components to guarantee a school council works," Gold says. "These include democratic annual election of class representatives, council members respecting and listening to each other, training for the class representatives and easy access to the head teacher or deputy.

"Most importantly, teachers must genuinely believe in the value of the pupils having a voice and a forum for action, and their ability to use such a forum appropriately."

Issues which concern student councils at both primary and secondary level include having a say in how anti bullying or anti litter policies are devised. In one primary school council, campaigning led to more effective playground management - football was given a particular space where it wouldn't interfere with the quiet area - and to a ban on swearing.

While Lansdown recognises that operating a school council may be time consuming and difficult at times, "the long term benefits will be the creation of an environment in which children have the optimum opportunity to gain in both the confidence and the capacity to participate in society as socially responsible individuals."