Impart social responsibility in students through community service

It is a welcome move by the Ministry of Education to introduce its new scheme of getting students to clean their schools on a daily basis (“Daily school cleaning for students ‘a good lesson in social responsibility’”; Feb 26).

Not only will this scheme help students develop good habits and social responsibility, it will also ensure that future generations of our population will continue to do their part in keeping our nation clean. They will learn to appreciate the job that cleaners do, and not take cleanliness for granted.

I remember my childhood in India, where my school had one period of social service each week and we were given various tasks, such as cleaning the school or helping maintain the school garden.

Regular outings would be scheduled for out-of-school community service, which included a tree-planting drive or going to the nearest shanty town to clean and distribute food, clothes and toys to the underprivileged.

This early exposure to community service instilled in us a sense of humility, compassion and a giving attitude towards others.

Singapore has its share of the poor as well, though they are not always visible in our high-rise public housing blocks. There are plenty of opportunities for students to interact with them and to support them.

Schools may also encourage students to step into the shoes of the needy through visits to homes for the aged, or underprivileged or sick children. Young people need to get such experiences first-hand, as they cannot be taught in classrooms.

Perhaps in time, schools may identify and implement age-appropriate voluntary community service regularly, not just on an ad-hoc basis.

Parents must support the schools in such community work, so that their children may grow up to be responsible and compassionate citizens.