Head boy and head girl are roles of prominent pupillary responsibility. The terms are commonly used in the British education system and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth organisations.
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United Kingdom and Ireland
In some British schools, the pupil body (or the headteacher) may elect a head boy and/or a head girl from the pupils/students. Head boys and head girls are usually responsible for representing the school at events, and therefore must be able to make public speeches also being a good role-model for students, and sharing pupils ideas with the schools leadership. He or she may also be expected to lead fellow prefects in their duties. Deputy head boys and girls may also be appointed, taking on the day-to-day management of the prefects in some institutions, as well as looking after the school and creating a link between teachers and pupils.
Other Commonwealth countries
All schools in Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, UAE and Malaysia, and many in the Commonwealth Caribbean, as well as South Africa and Canada, follow the same system as that in the United Kingdom, having a head girl and head boy or head prefect, a vice-head girl/boy, prefects, house captains, monitors and class representatives. (source?) The head girl and boy assist the teachers and administration of the school. Nigerian and Ghanaian schools follow a similar system although some schools appoint a head prefect or senior prefect and assistant senior prefect.
In Australia, the system is much the same as that of the United Kingdom. Almost all public secondary schools will have a student council with each year group having elected representatives. The head boy and head girl are generally the "chair" of this council and will represent the school on a government or community level and will represent the students at the school level.