By the end of this week, some students might have started celebrating the beginning of their winter break by tearing their books and other learning aids into pieces. They will then throw their books on the roads and into dumpsters close to their schools. As a result of their “celebrations”, their classrooms and schools will be left with huge mounds of litter — papers, books and the like. Their behavior reflects negatively on their manners and the overall standards of education in our schools. This scenario, which repeats itself across the Kingdom, highlights the need to create proper awareness of how to behave among students. Some schools try to do this by placing messages on boards to highlight the significance of keeping school premises neat and clean. But this does not bring about the desired effect. I want to ask an important question. Who is brave enough to set aside a school day to train our boys and girls on the need to keep their schools clean? If a school were to do this, then expect parents to complain to the principal with allegations that the school is forcing children to clean, instead of learn. Parents will emphatically say that cleaning is the responsibility of cleaners, not children. We raise our children with the impression that we are wealthy because of our oil and that we can use our money to hire others to do our menial jobs. We think that students should only learn and not clean their learning environments. We encourage our students to live in their own solitary worlds rather than inculcate in them the spirit of collective living in society while maintaining a hygienic and clean environment. We should learn from Japan where standards of education are very high and people are aware of the need to remain clean. There are no cleaners at most schools in Japan; students are the ones who clean, something that has become a deeply rooted tradition that links cleaning with manners. Kids are trained to maintain personal hygiene and respect everyone, including street cleaners who are called “health engineers” and paid between $5,000 and $7,000 a month. Cleaners, prior to their employment, are made to take written tests and formally interviewed. In Japan, a student spends at least 15 minutes a day cleaning toilets, together with his or her teachers. Students also bring toothbrushes to school to clean their teeth after eating—this ensures they develop a habit of keeping healthy and fit from a young age. Food served in schools is tasted first by the principal half an hour before it is served to students. Students from years 1 to 6 are taught subjects on how to behave with a focus on how to interact with people. There are almost no dropouts during years 1 to 3 because the main focus is on raising children with good manners and developing their personality rather than learning. I do not call for our schools to become totally like those in Japan. However, we could copy most of the things that they do in regards to keeping clean, developing manners and respect. Our role model must be the Prophet (peace be upon him) who taught us the importance of cleaning, good manners and tolerance.
