Mayo student elected to key role on national students union
Mohammad Naeem, a TY year student in St. Colman’s College, Claremorris, has been elected Regional Liaison and Support Officer of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU).
Mohammad will take up his role officially in July.
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is the national representative body for second-level student councils, with over 500 schools affiliated to the union nationally.
Since the onset of Covid-19 and its impact on the education system, the ISSU has sat on an Advisory Group of the Department of Education & Skills, representing students and cooperating with other stakeholders on issues such as the Junior Cert, schools reopening and the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Leaving Cert.
Speaking on why he ran for election, Mohammad stated: “My main reason for running was to help students and I felt this position would allow me to do this across the country.
"There are so many unrepresented voices in secondary schools because they are silenced or are afraid to speak up and voice their opinions.
"It can be a scary prospect, especially when you are on your own. I want to make sure everyone knows about the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union and that they know they have a voice nationally”.
“Another reason that I ran was because this position requires me to co-ordinate and advise the Regional Officer Body which consists of 44 regional officers.
"This body is so important for our union to ensure the union’s work is brought to a local level.
"I felt that in some regions the union had lost engagement with students, something I really want to work on.
"I also ran to inspire people in Mayo. We do not have many students in the Mayo region involved in the union and now that I have been elected I hope to improve on this."
Mohammad has previously worked on the Education Working Group of the union, and also identifies as a climate activist, having worked with ECO-UNESCO and as a Climate Ambassador.
Mohammad also volunteers as the President of the Young Saint Vincent de Paul Committee in his school.
In what has been an extraordinary year for the education system, Mohammad is ready to lead the union.
He noted: “I am looking forward to getting the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union’s name out there, across all rural and urban areas in Ireland and also to revive the union's name across counties where ISSU has lost engagement with member schools.
"This will ensure that every student is aware of the ISSU, and that they know, they do indeed have a voice.
"I am also looking forward to planning the Regional Councils where new regional officers in each of the 22 regions will be elected.
"Hopefully these events will be in-person in November, I want to meet students who are just as passionate as I am.
"I am so grateful for this position and cannot wait to start working with the other elected officers on the National Student Executive and regional officers”.