Are schools spoiling kids or saving time for books?

Back then, schools trained children to care for themselves and their environment; they washed their clothes, made beds, dug and mopped their dormitories and classes. The situation has changed. In many schools, all the mentioned chores are handled by either machines or workers, to create more time for children to concentrate on their studies. Parents and teachers share their thoughts concerning the new trend.

A few weeks ago, a video of a student praising a laundry company while at school went viral on social media, but it irked some people. They wondered why a school would allow such. For this student, paying someone to wash his clothes allows him more time to read and play.

Samuel Bawala, who offers laundry services in schools, says it is high time schools and parents embrace such services.

Others go as far as helping children to polish their shoes.

He says: “Time is a vital resource, which shouldn’t be wasted on non-productive activities, such as washing clothes. I appreciate that children need this skill, but they shouldn’t do it all the time. If machines can do the work, save that time and use it to do something productive.”

For example, Bawala says, hiring someone to do laundry services helps students to concentrate on their studies.

“We also help schools to maintain cleanliness, because we don’t hang clothes all over the compound like it is when students do their laundry. Our machines wash, dry and iron the clothes,” he says.

Additionally, schools save on water and electricity bills, since the company pays the bills.

Learners’ hygiene, especially those who hate doing laundry, is maintained. They can take months without washing their bedding, which exposes them to infections. Sometimes, they steal clean clothes from their mates, which explains why some students go home without uniforms and bedding.

It is even worse for those who wet the bed and have to wash every day. Laundry services help to eradicate such issues.

On how it works, Bawala says: “I have a big team that operates the machines. Thereafter, we fold or put them on hangers inside the school laundry room where the learners pick them up. Each student pays sh100,000 a term and their laundry is done twice a week.”

In many schools, workers clean everything from dormitories to classes, compounds and utensils.

Some children are bathed.

Parents, teachers up in arms

While schools, especially modern private ones aim to provide comfort and convenience, Michael Kushemererwa, a teacher of French at Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School, says shielding children from basic responsibilities deprives them of essential life skills.

When children are involved in chores, such as cleaning, washing and maintaining their environment, they develop discipline, independence, and a sense of responsibility; qualities they need in adulthood.

However, he points out the upside of this ‘hands-off’ approach saying: “Students have more time to focus on academics and extracurricular activities.”

Kushemererwa still notes that there are more downsides to it, for instance, many grow up unable to perform simple tasks, such as washing their clothes or cleaning up after themselves, making them overly dependent on others.

Additionally, it reduces their ability to appreciate the value of hard work and personal effort.

Grace Kemigisha Agaba, a health worker and mother of four, says during her primary school days, they had handwork sessions. They learnt to sew, crochet and weave mats and baskets. They also peeled food and it was a requirement for girls to carry knives and aprons.

Without these experiences, she says, many children struggle with basic chores when they leave school, which can create entitlement or dependency, where they expect others to take care of them.

She adds: “It’s unfortunate that today, we see many 18-year-olds who can’t even peel matooke.”

What is more; children also miss out on character-building experiences that teach responsibility, teamwork and discipline, which are vital for their personal growth.

Agaba suggests introducing cleaning and personal care routines. This way, students will graduate with academic knowledge and life skills.

Mabel Kalinzi Ssemujju, the director of Shiperoy Primary School, Makindye in Kampala, says children should be nurtured holistically; developing all aspects and skills.

The physical, spiritual, social and moral aspects are established as children interact and participate in different activities where they also develop manipulative skills.

But also, exposure to different activities spurs innovation and creativity.

Brian Ssenoga, a father and director of Mihoney, says if you teach sanitation in class, let the learners do it practically by cleaning. They can also make basic soap for home use. That way, holistic education triggers innovation and enterprise.

He remembers: “We learnt seed propagation and were taken to the garden to do it. It stuck in my head. So sad that many high fliers in class today can’t do anything for their communities.”

Parents should step up

Zahara Namanda says parents have entrusted private schools with co-parenting roles, yet both parties lack agreed standards on how to raise the children. The only common good is academics, which is also a higher buy-in for parents.

Namanda is the executive director for Africa Education and Leadership Initiative (Africa ELI), a literacy organisation. At the end of it all, she says, many parents raise children they don’t know, children they fear to annoy and those they never tell the truth. Others take them to schools due to bandwagon and wanting to show status without considering the children’s lifelong learning needs.

Dickson Tumuramye, a parenting counsellor, says some schools pamper the children to please their parents who hate to see them (children) suffer. In fact, to some parents, chores are a form of torture, which they can’t let their children bear.

Therefore, since schools are also profit-oriented, they choose to hike the fees and hire people to do the chores.

For that, Namanda and Tumuramye implore parents to ensure children learn beyond academics. Things, such as cleaning, making one’s bed and washing should not be negotiable.

Beyond that, Joseph Willrich Lutalo, a father of four, says while learning, children should also impact their communities. While in primary school, Lutalo says they learnt to clean themselves, their classrooms and their community. Looking back, he says that was priceless.

He points out that many schools charge parents a lot of money to hire caretakers, including matrons, bed making staff and cleaners.

“I prefer that my children attain an education, not mere graduations. Holistic education is more worthwhile,” Lutalo says adding that: “It will shape them into change makers rather than classroom vegetables and armchair thinkers.”

Flipping the coin, he says, engaging children in chores should not be like a torture chamber where teachers, matrons and prefects subject learners to untold suffering. The work should be age-appropriate and enjoyable.

Children with special needs

Veronica Matinyi, a special needs teacher, says in some schools, students with disabilities are ignored.

However, they need support to navigate the challenges of maintaining personal hygiene, feeding and mobility.

Teachers and caregivers should be patient and let them work in groups of the same age bracket.

Also, create a conducive environment for them and ensure complete accommodation. Ramps and modified washrooms are also vital.

Teachers should also be friendly, patient and accommodating. Most importantly, they should teach those children life skills and values to boost their self-esteem, decision-making, critical thinking and friendship formation.

Where possible, use adaptive aids to help them complete tasks.

For example, mobility aids, such as walkers, white canes and crutches, and communication aids, such as hearing and kitchen aids, help learners with severe disabilities. Also, bathroom aids, such as showers, raised toilet seats and handrails help them complete their tasks successfully.

Educationists speak out

Bernard Mujuni, the commissioner for equity and rights in the gender ministry, says students should receive holistic education.

“Some parents no longer have time for their children, so they spoil them to fill the void of their absence which is risky,” he says.

Mujuni advises private schools to emulate the traditional ones that still respect education values.

Haji Ismail Mulindwa, the director for secondary education in the education ministry, puts it to parents and schools to nurture children the right way.

“It’s difficult for the ministry to force schools to let children do chores. We caution parents and schools to change their mindset and raise all-round children,” he says.

What others say

Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva (Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation)

There should be a shared vision and purpose between students, parents and staff. If the goal is to instil work values, personal hygiene and management, then devise steps that will lead to these goals. There should always be a balance.

Often times, we emphasize housework and preparation for marriage and we end up having well-behaved wives who clean and cook, but cant run a business.

Miriam Biraakwate Mukombozi (family ministries coordinator, Diocese of Kampala)

As a parent and educationist, I appreciate the convenience private schools provide by hiring staff for various tasks, but I wouldn’t be comfortable seeing my children grow up in a system where they are overly pampered and shielded from responsibilities. Even the Bible discourages that. Instead, schools should introduce a system where children are encouraged to participate in age-appropriate chores and activities. This will help them develop important life skills while also promoting a sense of responsibility and self-worth.

Nathan Were (senior operations officer International Finance Corporation, South Africa)

Children learn valuable life skills through chores, such as responsibility, time management, independence and appreciation for work.

If everything is done for them, they risk growing up with a sense of entitlement and may struggle with self-sufficiency later in life. We need a balanced approach, but chores shouldn’t be so overwhelming that they interfere with studies.

Lillian Tibasiima (teacher, parent)

Research shows that children who do chores develop important skills that set them for life. They also learn how to work together, manage time and deal with frustration, especially delayed gratification. We have taken a bold decision to raise our daughter in that direction. She has developed a rare sense of responsibility, commitment and she pays attention to details, which is rare for her age.

Richard Kato Sembatya (engineering consultant)

School should be about the holistic transformation of an individual. It should target all aspects of one’s life with emphasis on classroom and co-curricular activities. Pampering breeds entitlement which can hinder the individual’s growth and development potential.