Students filmed sweeping classroom: Parents shocked, BMC says ‘teaching values’

A viral video showing students sweeping floors at the Shivaji Nagar Municipal School in Govandi has sparked outrage among parents and local residents The footage dated April 16 shows young children using brooms to clean the school premises prompting allegations of child exploitation and misuse of school hoursWhile some in the community support light cleanliness drives like picking up litter to instil civic responsibility parents argue that making children sweep floors is unacceptable ldquoTherersquos a difference between teaching cleanliness and making kids do janitorial workrdquo said a concerned parent ldquoThis is not what we send our children to school forrdquoSeveral residents and activists have written to the BMC commissioner and the assistant municipal commissioner of M East ward calling the act ldquodemeaningrdquo and ldquoagainst the dignity of studentsrdquoLocal resident and parent Irashad Qureshi whose child studies in the same school in a letter to the BMC commissioner stated ldquoOn February 2 2025 I visited Shivaji Nagar Urdu School No 1 and saw a young girl being made to clean the classroom I was assured by the headmistress that it wouldnrsquot happen again However on April 16 I once again saw a girl sweeping the classroom and another carrying garbage to the school gaterdquoShivaji Nagar Municipal School in GovandiWhen confronted the headmistress reportedly said the school had no cleaning staff Qureshi has held the headmistress and school supervisor accountable for negligence and demanded their suspension Faiyaz Alam Shaikh president of the Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society said Qureshi will be approaching the National Human Rights Commission with support from child welfare organisations ldquoTherersquos a difference between involving students in basic cleanliness activities and whatrsquos happening at the school This clearly crosses the linerdquo he said The issue has gained traction online with locals urging immediate action In response BMC education officials defended the activity calling it part of a symbolic drive to teach hygiene and civic senseIsmail Ibrahim head teacher and building incharge of Shivaji Nagar Urdu School No 1 said ldquoWe do ask students to pick up litter and bits of paper from their classroomsmdash that is a regular practice in all schools On the day the video was recorded the students had just completed their craft exam and there were pieces of paper scattered across the classrooms Some students were asked to help clean up the mess they had created A few used brooms as they were unable to pick up the paper bits by hand It was during this time that the video was taken This is not a regular practice We do not make students sweep classrooms with brooms To clarify the situation I have decided to prepare a short note explaining the incident which all teachers will share with parents via the class groups This entire episode seems like an attempt to malign the school and its staffrdquoldquoI have seen the video Parents need to understand that these are occasional activities to inculcate cleanliness valuesrdquo said Rajesh Kankal education officer BMC Education Department We have dedicated staff for cleaning The activity was not meant to burden or demean studentsrdquo Vijay Jadhav administrative officer AO Schools BMC ndash M East Ward told midday that the education department will seek clarification from the schoolrsquos staff and headmistress on Monday regarding the incidentldquoFrom what wersquove been informed so far the students were asked to clean up after themselves following their craft exams However the written complaint submitted by a parent alleges that the headmistress cited the absence of cleaning staff as the reason for making students sweep the premises In light of this we will be asking the schoolrsquos teachers and headmistress for a detailed explanation on Monday and will address the concerns raised by parents and localsrdquo Jadhav saidWhy werenrsquot parents toldWhen we were in school we were asked to pick up bits of paper or litter from the classroom floor before dispersal It was meant to instil a sense of responsibilitymdashto teach us that classrooms are sacred spaces and cleanliness isnt just the job of the staff But making children sweep floors with brooms Irsquom not sure how appropriate that isrdquo said Kanchana Balakrishna a parent of a Std V student at a school in Chembur She questioned the lack of communication from the school ldquoIf this was intended as part of a cleanliness awareness campaign why werenrsquot parents informed From the complaints coming in it seems clear we had no idea such an activity was taking placerdquoPrasad Gokhale a parent and convenor of the awareness group Marathi Shala Aapan Tikavlya Pahijet We Must Save Marathi Schools echoed the sentiment ldquoIf students are asked to clean classrooms with brooms once or twice a year as part of a civic responsibility drive thatrsquos understandable But involving children in regular or daily cleaning without the knowledge or consent of parents Thatrsquos not acceptablerdquo he said ldquoSome kids may have allergies or health conditionsmdashparents need to be informed If this is a recurring practice done under the radar school authorities must be held accountablerdquoPractice common in JapanAround the world studentled classroom cleaning is common in several education systems aimed at promoting discipline responsibility and community values One of the most wellknown examples is Japan where students routinely clean their classrooms hallways and even toilets as part of their daily schedule This tradition known as ldquoOsojirdquo especially around the New Year is rooted in the belief that a clean environment cultivates a clear and focused mind Rather than viewing it as a chore it is seen as a characterbuilding exercise that encourages gratitude discipline and respect for shared spaces As the debate continues the question remains Is this a valuable life lessonmdashor an overstep in the name of disciplineatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params