When monitors lorded over the classroom

I was never a class monitor. My teachers thought I was extremely introverted. Actually I was shy and quiet. A minor stuttering problem caused me to be afraid of speaking in front of the class. With a teeny-weeny bit of jealously, I would admire the confidence of the class monitors during my primary school days.

Sometimes, we would have two monitors, a boy and a girl. They were chosen because they were bright, always neatly dressed and demonstrated leadership qualities. The class monitor was the kind of person who sat in the front row and paid rapt attention to what the teacher was saying.

Given their inborn self-assurance, class monitors would often feature in the top three pupils in class and would also excel on the sports field. In some years of my schooling the monitor would be chosen by our class teacher. In other years, the class pupils elected the monitor. Historically, the role of class monitor was a position of responsibility and the badge of the monitor was proudly worn with respect within the classroom.

However, I am given to understand the role of the class monitor has nowadays largely disappeared in our schools. In the "good old days," class monitors were student leaders responsible for maintaining order and being the teacher’s right-hand helper. Their duties included ensuring classroom cleanliness, reporting attendance, and sometimes even leading the class in simple tasks or exercises.

They often served as a bridge between pupils and teachers, helping to resolve minor issues and promote a positive learning environment. One of the main tasks of the class monitor was to keep the generally rowdy pupils quiet when the teacher had to attend a meeting, went out for a quick smoke in the staff room, or met up with another teacher for a gossip session about which ma’am was the headmaster’s latest romantic interest.

While the teacher was absent, the monitor would stand in front of the class like a sentinel with a clipboard. Pupils were not allowed to talk softly or even whisper to each other. After the first warning for breaking the no-talking rule, the errant pupil’s name would be written on a sheet of paper or on the blackboard – or should I rather say chalkboard because while "blackboard" is not essentially racist, I’d rather avoid any potential discomfort or misinterpretation.

Since the class monitor was given the responsibility of keeping the entire class quiet, he or she had to rise above taking sides and mete out the same punishment for friends. This must have been difficult since the trait of impartiality does not come easily at a young age. Being a class monitor was no easy task. Not everyone was fond of you because you had authority over them and you had to find a balance between letting your friends off the hook and deciding when their antics had gotten way out of hand.

I recall there would be instances when a backbencher who was pulled up for talking would challenge the monitor for overlooking another pupil who had also stepped out of line. Talkative pupils whose names were taken down by the monitor would receive strikes on outstretched palms with a ruler or stick wielded by the teacher upon his or her return to the class.

Of course such corporal punishment is banned in our schools today, never mind that in some communities, traditional respect for educators and authority figures has declined, with some pupils resorting to physically attacking teachers. The monitor also had the right to grant permission to pupils to visit the toilet while the teacher was away from the class. Rather than have to sit frozen in silence, some troublemakers-in-training and classroom clowns would stick up their hands to request a restroom break.

I pitied the monitor who faced a dilemmatic situation as it was not possible to ascertain whether the request was genuine – and was always forced to accede. The class monitor also assisted the teacher to track attendance on a colourful table that was permanently drawn in chalk on one end of the blackboard, oops, writing board. Monitors could also enlist other pupils to perform chores such as cleaning the writing board, delivering the attendance register to the office each afternoon, ensuring the stationery cupboard was always neat and well-stocked and refilling the teacher’s water jug.

The role of class monitor has evolved over time, but it highlights a past era where students were actively involved in the daily operations of the classroom and were given opportunities to develop leadership skills. Many pupils who were class monitors when I was in primary school, were chosen as prefects at secondary school, excelled academically and grew into upstanding individuals who are still making a useful contribution to society.

The class monitor role is good preparation for a career where people must be managed. Monitor duties mirror real-world roles like team leads or project managers. Pupils learn about fairness, integrity, and accountability. Handling disputes or enforcing rules teaches diplomacy and empathy. There are several factors that have contributed in recent years to the decline of the class monitor role, once a staple in many schools.

Many schools now promote peer collaboration rather than assigning authority to one pupil. Some undertones of the Government of National Unity here, isn’t? There is also the concern about power dynamics. Giving one pupil authority over others in a class can result in favouritism or bullying. When bullying goes unchecked during school hours, victims may feel cornered and retaliate outside school where supervision is minimal.

Videos of pupils fighting in schools have gone viral in this country and have sparked widespread concern. Digital tools have also taken over some of the traditional roles of class monitors such as recording pupil attendance and conveying messages from teachers or administration.

One recently retired school principal told me that some schools prefer rotating responsibilities or shared leadership to give all students a chance to develop skills. Modern education emphasises teamwork and shared responsibility over hierarchical roles. The former principal said some parents were also opposed to the class monitor system if their child was not chosen to lead. The introduction of school support staff such as teaching assistants has also taken over from class monitors the administrative or disciplinary tasks in the classroom and reflects broader changes in educational philosophy and classroom management.

However, hiring teaching assistants requires funding or staff availability. Not all schools can afford dedicated teaching assistants. With large pupil numbers per class, teachers being overworked owing to shortages, and pupil discipline on the wane, should class monitors be made mandatory? There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Not all pupils thrive in leadership roles, and a compulsory system might not be appropriate for every classroom or school culture.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to implement a monitor system should be made considering the specific context of the school and the needs of its pupils.

Yogin Devan is a media consultant and social commentator. Reach him on: [email protected]

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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