MELAKA: There is no feeling of squeamishness or awkwardness every time the students are tasked with cleaning the school toilets, indicating that they can keep the facility clean, even without a special syllabus to educate them about the practice.
For Fara Nurdiana Osman, the coordinating teacher of the 3K Unit of the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Padang Temu, indirect education about toilet care practices is seen as practical, especially involving Level Two (Year 4, 5 and 6) students.
She said that, in addition to the awareness practised in each learning session, the preparation of schedules, monitoring and activities related to cleanliness are seen to be able to expose students to the importance of maintaining cleanliness, including toilets.
“For instance, in this school, we make a toilet maintenance schedule according to the sports houses, and they are monitored with the help of Level Two students during recess, and there are times when they will clean the toilet together as a gotong-royong activity.
“They are not at all squeamish to clean the toilet, because this sense of responsibility for keeping it clean has been put into practice, as it is closer to the students,” she told Bernama.
Meanwhile, SK Duyong headmistress Nor Azah Md Had said that initiatives such as making each toilet cubicle a ‘foster class’ also helped to raise awareness, and even removed the awkwardness among students to clean the toilet.
“Also, teachers always remind students at every assembly to keep the toilet clean, similar to home, and make sure it is used as best as possible,” she said.
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bukit Baru principal Nor Hafizah Musa believes that a special syllabus is necessary to teach students about toilets, and their roles and responsibilities in maintaining these facilities at school.
She said that this is because awareness about the cleanliness of the toilet needs to be applied among school students in a practical way, with exposure needing to start at the early stages of schooling.
“I strongly agree that if special emphasis is given in the syllabus on the toilet (cleanliness), and, maybe it can be included in certain subjects identified by the ministry such as Moral Education or Physical Education.
“At the same time, the syllabus needs to be strengthened, with practical training as a way of cultivating cleanliness, especially in school toilets because cleanliness should not only be practised in certain places,” she said. – BERNAMA
