Benaffy with her husband and their four-year-old son.
KUCHING (June 6): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent suggestion that students should be tasked with cleaning the toilets at school seems to generate mixed reactions.
Judging from the polls run on social media and on the ground, however, many respondents appear to agree with Anwar and have even gone to the extent of listing the benefits and the positive effects that the young people would get should they be given such a responsibility at school.
There are those who are not at all surprised by the suggestion, stating that it was ‘a normal school chore once upon a time’.
They then point out similar systems being implemented in a number of developed countries such as Japan, meant as a way to instil in the young people a sense of responsibility, in addition to shaping them into becoming outstanding individuals in the future.
Administrative executive Benaffy Rosta Shaelabo, 32, is among those who support the ‘students-cleaning-toilets’ suggestion.
“By taking responsibility for keeping the toilets clean, the students would indirectly understand the importance of maintaining good hygiene and health.
“I think it is an important and appropriate step – one meant to educate students to have a responsible attitude not only towards toilets, but also towards the school environment.
“They would also learn to clean other places and facilities that they use every day.
“It would also help ensure a clean, safe and comfortable environment, especially for all toilet users at school,” this mother-of-one told Utusan Borneo, the Malay sister daily of The Borneo Post.
Abang Junaidi Abang Gom
Retired medical lecturer Abang Junaidi Abang Gom, 66, concurred with Benaffy, but he also said to realise the move, it would need a change in mindset among the students themselves.
“The perception of students about cleaning toilets being a dirty and disgusting task needs to be corrected first.
“The students need to be reminded of the adverse effects if the facility was not properly maintained and left dirty.
“The activity of cleaning school toilets aims to uphold and maintain cleanliness, to ensure the health of the students themselves, in addition to preventing the spread of infectious diseases, as the saying goes ‘prevention is better than cure’,” said this father-of-nine.
Abang Junaidi also said the schools could come up with a duty schedule, where students would take turns cleaning the toilets before and after class sessions.
Betty Dam
Another parent, Betty Dam, viewed the move as one that would advocate the students to be more empathetic and selfless.
“By washing and keeping the school toilets clean themselves, the students would realise how difficult it must be for the toilet cleaners at school.
“Besides that, it is also able to raise public awareness of the importance of keeping school toilets clean.
“Therefore, I feel this should be implemented,” said the 45-year-old housewife, who is a mother of five.
Penghulu Ismail Samsudin Puteh
For Penghulu Ismail Samsudin Puteh, 51, the task of cleaning toilets would make the students at least feel and understand the hardships faced by those less fortunate than them.
“Moreover, I believe that by doing this, eventually the students would not feel awkward or clumsy in doing charity work.
“Besides, it’s not a task that goes on forever. It can be done more quickly if there are more people doing it together,” said the community leader.