(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

For 17-year-old Elliott Bathe - now serving as Vice Chairperson of the Dubai Student Council - the moment he found out brought“shock, happiness, and a big sense of responsibility.” His journey to that announcement, though, started long before his name was made public.

When Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved the creation of the new Dubai Student Council - a group made up of just 16 students from 16 private schools - few realised how demanding the selection process would be.

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The Year 13 student of Jebel Ali School remembers every step clearly. In an interview to Khaleej Times he said,“The election process for the Dubai Students Council was lengthy. It started with a written application after my school put me forward. From there, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) shortlisted 40 students who were interviewed by KHDA with PwC's aid. This interview was super interesting and incorporated a situational judgment assessment in teams as well as a one-to-one interview .”

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As for how he ended up being appointed Vice Chairperson, Elliott explained the decision wasn't his to decode.“You would have to ask the KHDA itself how I was selected as Vice Chairperson, but I suspect it was based on my performance in the interview and the observations of the KHDA Consultants during our foundational meetings.”

A personal surprise from KHDA

The moment he learned he had made it onto the council - and into one of its top roles - is one he recalls with warmth.

“The KHDA team came to my school and personally informed me. I felt that was such a personal and heartfelt way of finding out about my selection. It really spoke wonders to how they are putting their all into this council. My first reaction was, of course, shock, but it was followed closely by immense happiness.”

With only 16 seats to represent nearly 400,000 students enrolled in Dubai's private schools, the responsibility is immense - and Elliott is clear about what he wants the council to stand for.

“Our overall aim in the council is to ensure that student voice is heard and considered in Dubai. We want to incorporate ideas from students across Dubai and bring them to the forefront of KHDA's decision-making.”

The council has already identified its long-term priorities.“On top of this, we are planning to host events centred around our decided long-term goals, including mental health and wellbeing awareness events, future pathway events and many other similar activities and programs.”

How the council works

To keep momentum, the group works on a structured schedule.

“We have four official meetings a year with KHDA advisers. During our first meeting, we met with His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of the Excecutive Council of Dubai, and Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA. However, the council members meet online fairly often (around once a week) so we can get things done as a whole council.”

In-person meetings are more intensive, he explains.“These tend to be longer and more formal, and we set new short-term goals, track our agendas, and discuss our initiatives in depth.”

Much of the council's efficiency comes from its internal organisation.
“Within the council, everyone has separate responsibilities... including project leads and goal coordinators. This is something that we've done so that progress can be easily tracked, and we can make sure that, as a council, we are always finalising the initiatives and tackling the goals that we have set ourselves .”

Balancing leadership roles

On top of his new role, Elliott also serves as head boy at his school and sits on the Taaleem Executive Council. With so many commitments, he credits his success to a strong support system and careful planning.

“In all three of these situations, I'm so lucky to have a great team around me who support me in all our endeavours. Juggling these roles gets exponentially easier when the people you work with are so supportive and helpful. Other than that, to-do lists are my best friends - I know exactly what needs to be done, prioritised, and finished before their due dates.”

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