No more Primary Prefects at Royal College Colombo?

Realroyalcollege wishes to present a bouquet 💐 to Mr Riyaz Aluher for his honest and open view on appointing Prefects at the Primary. We long to see such honest and fearless opinion makers among the current Management Team.

“If we keep our doors and windows open sunlight would prevent germs entering our abode”

Should We Stop Having Primary Prefects?

I have always shared one important message with every Principal I have worked with even with the current Principal,

We need to stop selecting primary prefects.

Many people think choosing primary prefects helps children become leaders. But in reality, it causes unnecessary problems.

First, it creates too much competition among young children. They start comparing themselves with others, and this takes away the fun and joy of school life.

Secondly, parents feel a lot of pressure. They start spending too much money, time, and effort to help their child become a prefect. Some parents even collect many certificates just to improve their child’s chances — even if these certificates are not very meaningful.

At times, there are also attempts to influence coaches and teachers, which is unfair. Some children are even forced to take part in activities they do not like, just to look good on paper. This is not healthy for the child.

We should also remember that some of the best schools in the country, like Musaeus College, do not have primary prefects at all. And at S. Thomas’ College, every child gets a chance to lead through term-based leadership training. No child is left out. That is a fairer and more useful system.

I strongly believe that Grade 1 to 5 is too early to decide who has leadership skills. Children are still learning, growing, and discovering their interests. By pushing them too early, we put too much pressure on them — and also on their parents.

So I kindly ask all those involved in education — teachers, school leaders, and parents — to think seriously about this. Let’s focus on helping every child develop confidence, skills, and values. Not just a few.

We don’t need a badge to show who is a leader.

True leadership can be taught in many better and fairer ways. Let’s give every child the chance to shine.

Riyaz Aluher

Parent 

Old boy 

Former Assistant Principal and Senior Games Master

Royal College.