Reinforce cleaning habit consistently so it becomes the norm for students

I refer to the Ministry of Education’s latest initiative, for all schools to set aside at least five to 10 minutes of students’ school hours each day for cleaning activities (“Daily school cleaning for students ‘a good lesson in social responsibility’”; Feb 26).

Singaporeans in their 20s and above will remember that this was a daily routine when we were in primary and secondary school. Students sometimes competed to clean the classroom first just to be awarded lucky stars or chops by our teachers as proof of our good deeds.

The ministry’s initiative allows students to practise responsibility and take ownership for their classroom, which is their main learning space. From a humanistic perspective, it allows students to be in the shoes of school cleaners and empathise with what they go through every day to ensure that we have a clean and comfortable environment conducive to learning.

We must ensure the initiative is sustainable in the long run. Instilling values goes beyond setting allocated timings for cleaning activities every day. After all, there are duty rosters in classrooms, yet we still see dirty and messy classrooms. This raises the question of whether such rosters are adhered to or even effective.

Culture and habits take time to be cultivated in someone. This adds to the argument that the idea of personal responsibility for one’s own learning has to be reinforced consistently for the dream to become a reality.

Ultimately, school teachers and student representatives will play a significant role in promoting the habits and culture in class so it becomes the norm for students, who would then not need any reminders. This can be enhanced by teachers and student leaders leading by example.

The concept may take a while to resonate with students, but it is a necessary step towards cultivating more- gracious and responsible citizens.