The Central Elections Commission (CEC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), concluded today, Tuesday, the second version of the Student Activity Committees project. The project was implemented beginning of the ongoing school year in 40 schools with the participation of approximately 12,500 students (F/M) with the aim of enhancing the values of democracy and electoral exercise among school students.
The project closing ceremony was organized in Ramallah, in attendance of representatives from the CEC, MoEHE and UNDP, in addition to a group of elected members of the student activity committees as well as CEC and MoEHE staff.
Speakers, emphasized in their remarks, during the ceremony, the importance of the project, which targeted students (both females and males) from 5-11 grades, indicating the atmosphere of enthusiasm experienced by the students during the various stages of the student elections. Such stages included registration of voters, devising electoral platforms, conducting electoral campaigning activities, all the way to polling day, where student select members of the six specialized committees (cultural, scouts and volunteerism, social, scientific and technological, sports, art and music).
Moreover, elected students continue to implement diverse activities based on their electoral platforms within their schools. Speakers iterated the importance of continuing to roll out this project in new schools, expanding the number of schools and participating students, due to the positive impact it has on enhancing students' knowledge and skills in relation to democracy, participation and elections.
It is worth mentioning that the project is being implemented for the second year in a row, which is also an extension of several projects organized by the CEC in partnership with the MoEHE and UNDP aiming to enhance electoral awareness among students, and to develop their knowledge and kills related to elections, democracy, political and social participation.