Inspired Leadership: The Role of a Prefect

A society needs people who will lead and show the way to others. Those leaders display qualities and attributes that can be used to profit the organization and the whole environment we live in.

Keeping same in mind, Oakridge International School Visakhapatnam has, as it is the custom, proceeded to recruit and adorn the prefectoral body, made of students-leaders who have demonstrated and met the requirement needed, to be the interface between their peers and the School management, with the help of teachers. Such a task is of high value and the selection of those who have to take up the responsibility has to be meticulously conducted.

Indeed, the prefectoral body is made of students of grades 5 for the juniors, and grade 11 for the seniors. The occasion has been offered to all the students of those grades to nominate themselves for the cause. We had then a panel of teachers, coordinators, led par the principal to interview the different candidates to gauge their leadership abilities.

Transparency and meritocracy are the key for the process. Throughout this process, all the candidates were invited virtually to give their view and program, how then can help the organization if they were elected. They were submitted to different case studies to

There were strict criteria set and the nominees were scrutinized, their integrity, earing ability, speaking skills, confidence, leadership capability, thought process, and more importantly their problem solving skills, etc.

The shortlisted candidates, two for each post, had gone for a campaign with their peers, and an open poll was organised. The results, with the newly elected prefects were solemnly proclaimed during a special assembly, the prefectoral body being presented to the whole school community by the SLT members.

The mega event took place after a big shower of blessings- rain -, in a grandeur nature live Investiture Ceremony, attended by the all the prefects and their family.

The newly adorned team of Student Leaders were sworn in by the Mrs Shaila B, the School Principal and the responsibilities clearly explained during the ceremony. This comes to confirm that “Leaders are not born, but they are made!”