Student Leadership and Mentoring Programme equips young people with skills for positive leadership

The Directorate of Zone 2 of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource organised a six-day Student Leadership and Mentoring Programme aimed at strengthening leadership skills and equipping students with essential values and competencies to assume greater responsibilities in their schools and communities.

To mark the culmination of the programme, an award ceremony was held yesterday at the Auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Moka, where certificates were presented to participating students and their respective coordinators.

The Minister of Education and Human Resource, Dr Mahend Gungapersad, graced the ceremony as Chief Guest. Also present was the Acting Director, Zone 2, Dr Chaya Surajbali-Bissoonauth, along with other guests, school leaders, coordinators, teachers and students.

The participating schools were Beau Bassin State Secondary School (SSS), Bel Air SSS, Bon Accueil SSS, Camp de Masque State College, Ebene SSS (Boys), Ebene SSS (Girls), John Kennedy College, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Mahatma Gandhi SSS Flacq, Mahatma Gandhi SSS Moka, Manilall Doctor SSS, Quartier Militaire SSS, Queen Elizabeth College, Rajcoomar Gujadhur SSS, Shrimati Indira Gandhi SSS and Sir Leckraz Teeluck SSS.

The six-day programme provided students with an opportunity to develop essential leadership and interpersonal skills through a range of interactive sessions and activities. Key areas covered included emotional intelligence, cognitive thinking, decision-making, communication, conflict resolution, empathy, teamwork and the effective management of school-related situations. The programme also sought to build students’ confidence and encourage them to become responsible, compassionate and proactive members of their schools and communities.

In his address, the Minister emphasised that leadership should not be associated merely with holding a position or giving orders, but with the ability to bring out the best in others. He encouraged students to recognise and develop their leadership potential, make responsible choices and demonstrate discipline, integrity and empathy in their daily lives.

He stressed that a student’s school or academic achievements alone should not determine his or her future, as willingness to take on challenges, a clear vision and the ability to make sound decisions were equally important. The importance of communication skills, reading and continuous learning was also highlighted, with students being encouraged to share knowledge, support peers facing difficulties and develop a broader understanding of different fields and cultures.

Dr Gungapersad further underlined that leadership should extend beyond the school environment and contribute to addressing challenges within families and society. He encouraged students to become compassionate and responsible citizens who could contribute positively to their communities and, in the future, to their professions. He also underlined the importance of holistic education, whereby academic learning is complemented by exposure to extracurricular activities, including sports, music, dance, painting and drama.

In this context, the programme was commended as an initiative contributing to the development of future leaders, with the possibility of extending similar leadership activities to other education zones and, where feasible, to students at primary level.

For her part, Dr Surajbali-Bissoonauth highlighted the growth in confidence, communication and leadership traits observed among the students throughout the six sessions. She noted that the certificates represented recognition of the skills developed, particularly in areas such as empathy and conflict resolution, and encouraged students to carry these values back to their schools and communities. She urged the students to regard the completion of the workshop not as an end, but as the beginning of their journey as young leaders.

01 September 2026

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Topics: Education, Youth