Be Fair Leaders, New Prefects Told
The newly elected prefects of Deenbandhoo Memorial School were reminded to be fair leaders. Chief guest, Minister for Education, Heritage, and Arts Premila Kumar made these comments during the prefect induction ceremony at Jai Narayan College Hall in Suva.
“It is not just a time where you feel that yes I got the badge, but the badge is very meaningful, it’s given for a particular purpose,” she said.
“When students come to school, we all know why they’re here but when you give them a badge, it also means that they have got a responsibility and that is to assist the teachers in the running of the school.
“When you make them responsible, they deliver with so much confidence that sometimes you have to ask them to slow down a bit.
“So I’m sure these children know the job but the only advice I’m going to give you is that you’ve got to be fair.
“You’re not going to set two rules, one rule for your friends and the other rule for the rest of the students.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Ratu Fereniki said a change in his behaviour enabled him to become the head boy of the school.
“I am amazed that I was chosen as the head boy, I was not expecting to be chosen because of my attitude in the past year,” he said.
“I was the deputy head boy last year but I was a bit naughty.
“I have cut off my old friends who used to pull me down and now I want to be a leader that makes school a better place.”
Head girl, Trisha Janvi Naidu said leadership was not something new to her.
“My sisters who are now 21 and 22 years old were also badged leaders in their time,” she said.
“Leadership qualities are something that comes naturally to me.
“I want to teach the students how to be a role model so that they can also be leaders in the future.”
The young leaders dedicated their achievements to their parents.
The school badged a total of 105 prefects including class prefects, road marshals, bus monitors, environment leaders, school prefects, deputy head prefects and head prefects.