Young people stand to gain or lose the most from decisions and transformations within education systems. Globally, students are rarely intentionally and meaningfully involved in the development and implementation of educational policies, school planning, and vision setting. While students may occasionally be consulted during policy development, they are seldom positioned as equal members on intergenerational leadership bodies. Few countries have established national student councils, and even when student councils exist at the school or institutional level, their influence is often limited to low-stakes decisions, such as organizing events, rather than high-stakes decisions like school-wide changes and transformations.
When students, educators, and families collaborate to center young people’s voices in decision-making and leadership, the entire community and education ecosystem benefits. This policy brief highlights the critical importance of student engagement in policy and decision-making within education systems and institutions. It is based on an analysis of policies on student voice in policy development and school governance in 10 countries, as well as mixed-methods research conducted directly with students, their parents/caregivers, and educators.
The research focused on understanding how to build student consultation and intergenerational partnerships into decision-making processes. The goal is to ensure that education systems better serve students’ learning, development, and well-being. The findings are relevant to policymakers and education leaders at various levels—national, subnational, and school—as well as civil society organizations that collaborate with schools and student and parent/caregiver councils.
The research methodology involved an intergenerational approach, examining differences between age groups and positionalities such as gender, socioeconomic status, and disability status. This ensures that the findings are applicable to a wide range of education actors and contribute to programs, policies, and practices that benefit young people. Over 9,580 young people aged 12 to 22 were surveyed across the 10 countries between 2022 and 2024. In seven of these countries, follow-up focus group conversations were held with students to gain deeper insights into their perspectives, hopes, and ideas for stronger family, school, and community partnerships. The research was conducted through a collaboration between civil society organizations and schools active in the Family Engagement in Education Network.
When families, students, and learning institutions work in partnership, young people benefit academically, socially, and emotionally. This policy brief begins with a conceptual framework for centering student voice in policy development and intergenerational research, followed by the research methodology and context, and concludes with recommendations.
Key Findings and Recommendations:
1. **Limited Consultation of Young People:** Few education systems consult young people in developing national education policies, plans, and frameworks that directly affect their present and future. To address this, education systems should establish mechanisms to meaningfully consult young people in the development of national education policies, plans, and frameworks. This includes creating structured opportunities for students to provide input and ensuring that their feedback is integrated into policy decisions.
2. **Lack of Clear Policies for Student Engagement:** Many education systems lack clear policies to ensure students are engaged in decision-making processes, whether in intergenerational leadership bodies or student councils. To promote meaningful intergenerational collaboration and student leadership, guidelines and strategies should be provided. These should include training for educators and students on effective collaboration, establishing clear roles and responsibilities for student leaders, and creating platforms for regular dialogue between students and decision-makers.
3. **Youth Desire for Agency in Education:** Youth acknowledge that they are learning in an inherited education system but express a strong desire to be part of reimagining education systems to better meet the needs and changing realities of their generation. To empower students, education systems should provide them with agency and meaningful opportunities to reimagine and re-envision their schools and education systems. This involves creating spaces for student-led initiatives, encouraging innovation in curriculum design, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement driven by student feedback.
By implementing these recommendations, education systems can better serve the needs of young people, fostering a more inclusive and effective educational environment.
