Politicians are banned from
educational institutions in some countries. In others, they are invited to
schools and universities to share information with students on their political program
and the workings of parliament. Many parliaments invite students to follow
their proceedings.
Example: In Cambodia, UNDP facilitated such
an exercise. For the first time in the history of the National Assembly, school
children and youth came to the legislature and spoke with members.
Example. In 2017 and 2018, in Timor Leste, the
election commission, with the assistance of IFES, set up a Youth Parliament
Watch program, which was coordinated with other governance CSOs. This included
workshops for young people in all local government areas, training them to
monitor the activities of their representatives. See Annex: Civic and Voter
Education for Timor Leste 2017 & 2018 Elections.
Some parliaments have internship
schemes for students, mainly at the university level. The structure of these
schemes can vary depending on the country. When designed properly, students and
parliamentarians both benefit. While students will have the possibility to
develop their professional skills and understanding of parliamentary
procedures, legislators and parliamentary staff will have the possibility to
profit from their interns’ knowledge and ideas.
