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.