World Children's Day 2021

On Saturday 20 November, it is World Children’s Day – established in 1954 as ‘Universal Children's Day’. The date was selected as the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child on 20 November in 1959, and later the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the same date in 1989. The day is celebrated to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide and improving children's welfare. Commemorating the World Children’s Day, we reached out to our Grade 5 Student Council members to find out more about why they have joined as counselors. 

I want to make things better and I want to also share people’s opinions with everybody – Grade 5 Student Council member 

UNICEF has launched a program called ‘Join the Youth Advocating for Child Rights’, where children and young people raise their voices on issues that matter to them, and call for adults to create a better future. All youth should enjoy their childhood and have the freedom to develop to their full potential, being protected and participating in decisions that impact their lives.  

As a school, TISB believes strongly in the importance of participation and students’ voices. Because of this TISB have student Prefects in both Senior School and PY, as well as a Student Council in PY. “The purpose of the Student Council is to instill democratic values in the children and to give them a voice”, explains Ms Emily, Deputy Principal of PY.  

Being elected volunteer representatives, 14 Grade 5 students meet with and talk to a class each. Keeping their ears open to student perspectives, ideas and potential problems, the counselors offer a voice to the student body when meeting with Ms Emily and Ms Amba, Deputy Principal and Pastoral Coordinator. 

So, what do the students think about the Student Council? “I joined to make the school become a better place”, says one of the Grade 5 Student Council members. “I wanted to hear peoples’ opinions and bring them up to school”, says another one during a group meeting. “If there is someone who has a problem with something, I can tell Ms Emily and Ms Amba, and in that way they can actually make the problem solved”, one of the counselors concludes.  

There are also possibilities for the Council members to pass on their purpose and values to their peers. “When I was in Grade 4, our class counselor said so many interesting things, and I think it would be good to say things like that”, one of the counselors explains. “I wanted to be student counselor because I wanted to be a role model for everyone and share opinions for everyone”, says another of the Council members. 

To hear more about why the students have joined as PY Student Council members, watch this video on Instagram or Facebook.