I think that most people are aware that in Japan students are responsible for cleaning the schools. In Japan, everyone is responsible for keeping the school clean! In this article, we will delve into this subject.
There usually aren’t staff members, and sometimes even the school principal helps with the care and maintenance of the school. This happens from elementary school and extends to college, regardless of whether the school is public or private.
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Osouji Jikan – Cleaning Time in Japanese Schools
In Japan, this practice where students clean the schools is called OSOUJI JIKAN [お掃除時間], which literally means cleaning time. During the first years of school, students eat their meals in the classroom and then clean it together.
This tradition of teaching students to clean the schools is so common that Japanese people find it strange to discover that in Western schools students do not clean.
Even on the school supply list, there is an item called zokin (cloth) that frightens foreigners who are unaware of the custom of cleaning schools. Some foreigners even think that this is work and that students shouldn’t do it.
At school, students do not only study subjects, but also learn to take care of what is public and to be more conscious citizens! No one complains because it has always been this way. — Toshinori Saito
Curiosities about Cleaning in Japanese Schools
Students are usually organized into groups and rotations so that everyone can do different tasks and no one is stuck with the same task. In high school, students are often assigned to take care of a specific part of the school.
They clean practically everything in the school, taking care of the classroom, bathrooms, swimming pool, sports court, etc. In addition, they take care of the garden, plants, and pets that exist in schools. Students sustain the schools!
Three times a year, students organize to do a neighborhood cleaning called chiiki seiso. In this cleaning, students go out to sweep and pick up trash in the neighborhood and around the school. The class is divided into han (small groups), where each is responsible for cleaning a specific area.
Every semester there is a general cleaning called osoji (big cleaning). The whole school gathers to carry out a general cleaning accompanied by music. Sometimes older students are asked to help younger children clean the classroom.
Truths about Cleaning in Japanese Schools
Not everything is as the news and Western newspapers say. I notice various altered information regarding the school cleaning system in Japan. First of all, not all schools are the same, so it is common to have differences.
There are certain generalizations regarding this, but generally, students clean the entire school, sometimes even cleaning the neighborhood and the surroundings of the school with their parents. Now we will see some lies and truths.
Are there no janitors in Japanese schools?
It’s a lie; schools do have non-teaching staff called yomushuji or shuji. Primary school children cannot leave the school 100% clean, so there are people responsible for specific cleanings and maintenance.
Sometimes these staff members also perform other activities at the school, or they are teachers and principals. Some schools even hire professional services to handle certain situations like painting and gardening.
Still, students are responsible for a large part of the functioning and organization of the schools. Some even take care of the infirmary, self-medicate, and skip classes in those places pretending to be sick.
Do students clean the bathrooms in Japanese schools?
In a way, yes, but some tasks are the responsibility of the shuji. Things are quite different in elementary and middle school; not all students clean together daily.
Sometimes only one group of students from the school is responsible for cleaning the entire bathroom. No student questions something that is so common, even though it is quite obvious that it is not pleasant to clean bathrooms, especially clogged ones.
Are there no cafeterias in Japanese schools?
In many primary and elementary schools, there are no cafeterias; however, in some schools and in high schools, there are indeed cafeterias.
Some schools have vending machines and sell meals, but the culture of bringing lunch from home and cleaning does not change. Some schools even have rules about the type of food that can be consumed.
Parents help clean the surroundings of the school
Japan has become famous worldwide for students cleaning the school and taking care of their own meals. At school, students do not only study subjects, but also learn to take care of what is public and to be more conscious citizens! No one complains because it has always been this way.
We also mentioned that three times a year, students organize to do a neighborhood cleaning called chiiki seiso. In this cleaning, students go out to sweep and pick up trash in the neighborhood and around the school. What we did not highlight is that even parents participate in events of this type.
Parents are invited to participate with their children in events like cleaning the surroundings of the school, especially before high school. I don’t believe this happens in all schools, or that all parents are required to participate in this cleaning. Teachers have always provided support in most of these occasions.
The video below shows the event where parents and children clean the surroundings of the school:
The Caipira in Japan even mentioned that this attitude is a recipe to pull Brazil out of the mud. Making young people and adults respect public property is fundamental for the country to advance and progress. Something that unfortunately does not happen in Brazil. Japan is a true example in this regard!
This is not the only time parents participate in something at school; a very famous event that usually brings together parents and children is the Undokai, a kind of gincana and sports competition between classes. Parents can also be present at the Bunkasai and at the school’s entrance and graduation ceremonies.
Teachers also strive to create a good relationship between parents and children through home visits and routine meetings with parents. Unfortunately, not all parents make an effort to have a good relationship with their children, and not all schools care about this.
Don’t think that just because parents are present in children’s childhood at school, things work 100%. There are many social and relationship problems, especially during school life.
Cleaning Position – Zoukingake
Children in Japan usually clean in a position called zoukingake (雑巾掛け). They kneel and place both hands on the wet cloth, raising their back ends so that their torsos make an angle of 35 to 45 degrees with the ground.
From an early age, children are taught to clean. This is something so normal and beneficial that nowadays even wealthy families usually do not hire maids. These were some curiosities regarding the cleaning of schools in Japan. I hope you enjoyed it; we appreciate the comments and shares. xD
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