High schools, madrasas to get student cabinets next month

After introduction of 61,191 student councils in primary schools, the government is going to introduce "Students Cabinet" in about 1,500 secondary schools and madrasas from the next month to help students practise democratic norms and values as well as check the dropout rate, said officials.

"We have already instructed two secondary level schools and a Dakhil Madrasa in each upazila to take necessary action to form a seven-member Students Cabinet on experimental basis," Education Secretary Md Nazrul Islam Khan told the news agency.

According to the official, the tenure of the seven-member students cabinet will be one year and students from class VI to X will have the voting rights. After the election, one of the members of the cabinet will be elected as the prime minister by voice vote. He or she will distribute portfolio among his or her cabinet, emulating a parliamentary democracy. There will be ministers for education, mid-day meal, environment, health, water resources, teaching materials, cultural affairs and sports, and others as per recommendation of the general students.

Director of BANBEIS Md Fasiullah said a draft manual on Students Cabinet and a plan of action have been sent to the officials concerned asking their opinion in it.