National Student Council launches new students’ rights campaign

The campaign, entitled "Excuse me, with what right?" aims to help implement the rights of students in the education system and address incidents where rights have been violated.

By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZI
Students and pupils participate in a large-scale bridge competition. (photo credit: ISRAELI BRIDGE FEDERATION)
Students and pupils participate in a large-scale bridge competition.
(photo credit: ISRAELI BRIDGE FEDERATION)
The National Student Council launched a campaign on Sunday to raise awareness for students’ rights.
The “Excuse me, with what right?” campaign aims to help implement the rights of students in the education system and address incidents where rights have been violated.
As part of the campaign, the student council launched a dedicated website where students can receive information about their rights and file complaints. In addition, the council launched a telephone hotline, email address and WhatsApp group where students can also file complaints and ask questions.
Among the rights entitled to students, as decreed by the Student Rights Law, is the prohibition of discrimination by any education institution based on religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic standing, sexual preferences, political ideologies, or gender. Students’ rights law also addresses rights with regards to examinations, school safety, matriculation exams, learning disabilities, the size of classes, annual class trips and freedom of expression, among others.
As part of the campaign, the student council will post a different right on their Facebook page every day in an effort to raise awareness.
“How many exams can you have in one week?” and “If I wasn’t able to take an exam, do they [the school] have to give me a second testing date?” were among the most frequently asked questions by students regarding their rights, according to the council.
While the campaign has only been under way less than a day, students have already begun posting questions on the council’s Facebook page. “What about annual trips? We also want to hear updates,” one student wrote.
Students’ rights regarding annual class trips have been a hot button issue recently, as the Secondary School Teachers’ Association announced it would cancel all annual class trips beginning March 1.
The teachers are in dispute with the Education Ministry over their demand that they not be liable for any criminal charges regarding the students’ safety and well-being on school trips.
“The National Student Council will continue to be vigilant and remain on alert until the threat is removed. We will not allow students to be hurt at any price,” the council wrote on its Facebook page last week of the intended cancellations.
In January, the National Student Council launched a three-day student strike to protest the cancellation of the class trips, a move that forced the teachers to cancel their planned strike and reenter negotiations with the Education Ministry.