School Democracy and Participation

Abstract

International literature shows that school practices are perceived by students as democratic. Also, based on the opinions and participation of students, these have many positive effects. Examples include higher engagement, cohesion, learning motivation, and improved academic performance. However, practical implementation is greatly hindered by the fact that, due to lack of time, financial constraints, and general overload, school workers often refrain from listening to students’ opinions and incorporating them into decision-making processes. This study examined the practice and impact of involving young people in participation processes among Hungarian adolescents. It was hypothesized that those who experience participation report higher collective efficiency and trust in decision-makers, just as community identification will be more typical among them compared to those young people who are not involved in other decision-making processes at school. Data were collected in 2023 (N=841). Using Jamovi statistical program version 2.3.28, and implementing the Mann-Whitney U test, differences between groups were examined and, in addition to our hypotheses being confirmed, the descriptive data showed that nearly 40-70% of the students felt that the students are not involved in situations of school life such as the establishment of house rules, disciplinary matters involving students and the settlement of teacher-student conflicts. Based on the responses of the participants, the most common form of participation is the involvement of student governments in making decisions about school event organization, which is in line with what is found in the literature.