Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Cleaning on curriculum for children in Singapore
By the end of 2016, students in all Singaporean schools will be involved in the daily cleaning of their school environment, whether it be before the first lesson, during recess, in between lessons, or just before leaving for the day.
Through this project, schools hope to instill in students a sense of responsibility and care for both their own space as well as spaces shared with others. It is also hoped that students will transfer their new skills to the home environment.
"Students have everyday responsibilities both in school and at home to do these chores," says the Ministry of Education. "With this constant practice both in school and at home, students learn pro-social behaviours and cultivate good life habits."
Many schools have already incorporated 5 - 10 minutes of cleaning into their school activities each day. For example:
* Xingnan Primary School - Students are involved in cleaning at the end of recess and at the end of the day. To cultivate the habit from a young age, Primary 1 students also have an activity to document how they help their family members with household chores.
* Park View Primary School - Music is played five minutes before the end of each school day, signalling the start of the classroom cleaning routine for all students.
* New Town Secondary School (pictured) - At the start of the day all students follow the C.L.E.A.N. acronym to guide their routine: Clean the whiteboard, Litter-free classroom, Ensure windows and doors are opened, Arrange tables and chairs, and Neatly place the bags on the floor.
"Character development is most effective when there is partnership between home, school and the community," notes the Ministry of Education. "The Character & Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum provides opportunities for parents to reinforce their children's learning and values nurtured in schools.
"Through CCE Family Time activities, parents and children can decide, plan and carry out children's contributions to the home. This includes cleaning tasks like making their beds, washing dishes or helping to clean the house."
The Public Hygiene Council and the Singapore Kindness Movement will also support schools and parents in their outreach efforts. Litter-picking toolkits have been made available to all schools, and educational materials and videos are also available on PHC's website.
3rd March 2016