Chitradurga MP and former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, Govind Karjol, made headlines after his comments on Teachers’ Day about students cleaning toilets in schools. Karjol, a BJP leader, stated, “What is wrong if students wash toilets in schools? In Japan, teachers and students clean toilets,” as reported by The Times of India. His statement has sparked discussions on caste discrimination and gender stereotyping, with some agreeing on its potential as a learning experience while others caution against discriminatory practices.
Karjol also shared his personal experience, saying that he used to “sweep and clean” his hostel during his student days. He argued that when a teacher hands a broom to a student, it is often seen as demeaning, reinforcing the idea that cleaning is an inferior task. He emphasized the need to teach children about cleanliness.
Seetharamu M S, a former professor from the Institute for Social and Economic Change, expressed that while involving students in cleaning could be beneficial, it must be done without discrimination and on a rotational basis, involving only class 5 and above students with proper facilities. He suggested that professional cleaners supplement this work every weekend.
Educationist Niranjanaradhya V P criticized Karjol’s statement, calling it “astonishing.” He argued that such practices would likely end up disproportionately affecting Dalit children and questioned how such activities would be monitored. He stressed that schools should be provided with basic facilities to focus on education rather than cleaning.
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