WINDHOEK-Youth Corner’s Sabina Elago talks to members of the Learners Representative Council (LRC) of the El Dorado Secondary School on their duties, challenges and how they cope with such challenges, their leadership skills in coping with such challenges and carrying out their duties leadership and the balance they strike between their schoolwork and LRC duties.
Jarsino Bath (Head Boy): “Teachers and learners saw the capability of leadership in me and elected me as a Head Boy. I motivate other learners, as I am understanding and always helpful. As a Head Hoy I find it difficult to deal with undisciplined learners every day, those that are always late to classes, not wearing their uniform properly and not wanting to listen to LRC, telling them not to do the same thing over and over it is frustrating. Balancing school work and LRC duties is the main challenge we face and this leads us to stay up late or wake up early to catch up with other learners on our school work. We keep order around the school ground as teachers alone cannot handle the whole school on their own and no school will be well off without an LRC.”
Adiel Van Wyk (Deputy Head Boy): “Teachers and learners found out what I am capable of and they elected me as their Deputy Head Boy. I deserve the position because I am well disciplined, hard working, respectful and I like trying out new things. I struggle to handle my school work and LRC duties and mostly other learners make it difficult for us when not obeying and behaving and disobeying school rules. We are sometimes late to our class because we first have to make sure other learners are all in their classes. LRCs are important in any school and no school will maintain order without them. We are there when teachers are not because we understand them better than teachers as we are together all time and they are free with us than with teachers.”
Marshalline Coete (Head Girl) “I am honest, problem solving, persistent and trustworthy, that is what teachers and other learners see in me and elected me as a Head Girl. I give motivation to my council to keep order among them, for the school to have order the LRC has to be organised and well-disciplined. We face learners that are disrespectful to the LRC and not obeying school rules, that is our daily challenges and our main challenge is jealousy among other learners. LRC represent other learners because we understand them better than teachers and they are free with us than with teachers and any school without LRC will be corrupt.”
Eunice Gases (Deputy Head Girl): “I have what it takes to be a leader as I am a peoples person, have passion to deal with ignorant learners and I am disciplined. My classmates see that in me and elect me. We face lot of difficulties as an LRC, jealousy among other learners being one. Other learners find it a threat and start disobeying school rules just to get to you we even lost our friend. Maintaining school work and LRC duty is the main challenge we face, most of the time we are left behind with our school work. LRCs are the schools eyes as we maintain order at school any school without them will be a mess.”
Astrid Antonius (LRC): “Learners sees the capability in me and elect me to represent them in whatever they are facing on the school ground. I deserve to be an LRC because I believe everyone has leadership skills and they just need someone to believe in them. Being elected motivate me to push harder as a leader. I have initiative, meaning I can come up with new idea all time, I am independent and I know how to carry out my duties. Some learners do not like taking from LRC which I think is just jealousy, and they show us attitude making this our everyday challenge. Balancing school work and LRC duties is a problem and is the main challenge every LRC member is facing here. Learners need someone to lead them all the way and teachers cannot do that with all the school work they have to carry out, so any school without an LRC cannot maintain order.”
Vianney Links (LRC): “I like to give other chances. I am a disciplined learner and I like to influence others in positive ways. That is what teachers and learners see in me and elected me as an LRC member. Maintaining order at school is difficult, especially when learners are rotating from class to class because other learners do not want to get orders from LRC members. And our main challenges are jealousy among other learners and lack of discipline in learners. LRCs are very important and they are needed to maintain order at schools, any school without them will be out of order.”