Casting of vote in one school was on the ballot paper, while another private school made students vote on computer. But, in all, it turned out to be new experience for primary school students to be part of the electioneering process.
The Yenepoya School and The Canara (Main) School, Dongarkery, recently held elections to select students for the Special Boy, Special Girl, Culture Secretary, Sports Captain and other posts in the schools. While the voting at the Yenepoya School was for students from classes four to 10, voting in Canara (Main) School was for those from classes six to 10.
As many as 61 students contested for 16 posts at The Yenepoya School. “This is the highest in terms of contestants,” said Student Coordinator Maria Susainathan of The Yenepoya School, which has been conducting elections for the last seven years. Elections this time was held on June 26.
Being the first exposure to voting system, students of class four were given instructions of the whole process starting from placing of “ink” on the left forefinger to the way of casting their votes. Contestants, who were from classes eight, nine and 10, were given the option to choose the symbols they want on the ballot paper. The School’s library turned into a polling booth where 16 voting tables each were placed on either side to enable faster voting. It started at 8.30 a.m. and ended at 12.30, when the results were announced.
Different system
The Canara (Main) School, Dongarkery, had a separate system elections using computers. Head Mistress Lata said photographs of contestants for each post are displayed on computer screen. Students are asked to click on the candidates of their choice. A few minutes after the end of voting the results are announced. The same system was followed in Canara School, Urwa, she said.
Ms. Lata said elections in her school were held on June 6. Ms. Lata said the elected representatives attended the first mock parliament held on Saturday morning to choose among them Ministers for — Discipline, Food, Water and Sports. There will be further mock parliaments during the academic year, where these elected student representatives and Ministers will discuss various issues concerning students, Ms. Lata said.
As many as 61 students contested for 16 posts
at The Yenepoya School
The Canara (Main) School, Dongarkery, held elections using computers
