The Saudi Little Leaders: The Current Status of Child’s Participation Through Class and School Councils “Alshura Council” in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The objective of this study is to describe the current status of the Saudi Childs' participation through Class and School Councils "AlShura Council" as a way of increasing child rights in participation at a school level and democracy at a national level. The central two questions that guide this research are: How are the class and School Councils "AlShura Council" organized and operated at Saudi schools in relation to student participation? and, what are the experiences of student participation through Class and School Councils "AlShura Council" from the perspective of students? As the study design was a qualitative one-case study, qualitative analysis is used to analyze the results. The results show that the establishment of Class and School Councils "AlShura Council" involves students in real decision-making processes. The students' voices are taken into consideration and that they are a part of decision-making processes at the school. Overall, the results seemed to suggest that by giving the children a chance of participation will benefit the students themselves, the school as a whole as well as the country in the work towards fulfilling the goal of increased democracy. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the prospects of initiating Class and School Councils "AlShura Council" at other schools in Saudi Arabia, as a way of increasing student participation, are both possible and achievable.