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With two different groups I know of, there are times when students walk around the streets picking up rubbish. This is probably much more effective education than telling them not to throw rubbish everywhere. Probably a significant proportion of them will be conscious of keeping the place clean for the rest of their lives. I dont know which individuals were behind the idea, but one group is associated with a Western NGO, and the other is associated with an NGO from Taiwan. This idea could be introduced in more schools.

Great advice.


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explorer wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:26 pm With two different groups I know of, there are times when students walk around the streets picking up rubbish. This is probably much more effective education than telling them not to throw rubbish everywhere. Probably a significant proportion of them will be conscious of keeping the place clean for the rest of their lives. I dont know which individuals were behind the idea, but one group is associated with a Western NGO, and the other is associated with an NGO from Taiwan. This idea could be introduced in more schools.

After watching many of these school kids rubbish pick-ups, I fear the wrong lessons are being taught.

The teachers in charge seem to think it's OK for the kids to just pick up a few selected bits of rubbish and leave most of it on the ground. Then they all get to the end of the park and give themselves a big congratulations.

This is planting the idea that it is OK for it all to be just a charade - so long as they are seen to be doing something.
The grand meaningless gesture that unfortunately seems to be the preferred answer to many problems here.

SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:20 am After watching many of these school kids rubbish pick-ups, I fear the wrong lessons are being taught.

The teachers in charge seem to think it's OK for the kids to just pick up a few selected bits of rubbish and leave most of it on the ground. Then they all get to the end of the park and give themselves a big congratulations.

This is planting the idea that it is OK for it all to be just a charade - so long as they are seen to be doing something.
The grand meaningless gesture that unfortunately seems to be the preferred answer to many problems here.

I agree. Those with a genuine attitude are good. None of us are impressed with those who just put on the act, but not really do the right thing.

explorer wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:26 pm With two different groups I know of, there are times when students walk around the streets picking up rubbish. This is probably much more effective education than telling them not to throw rubbish everywhere. Probably a significant proportion of them will be conscious of keeping the place clean for the rest of their lives. I dont know which individuals were behind the idea, but one group is associated with a Western NGO, and the other is associated with an NGO from Taiwan. This idea could be introduced in more schools.

First, this 'cleaning' is often done during school hours.
Second, it kind of legitimizes throwing your rubbish on the street, because someone else will pick it up.
Third, it's usually done just before some hot shot from Phnom Penh comes over for a visit.

My kid was ordered to help clean the airport a few weeks ago, after a concert the place looked like rubbish disposal site. I don't believe picking up other people's rubbish is a valuable lesson, cleaning up you own mess is. I told the teacher I expect schools to teach, not to act as support for a non functional rubbish collection system. For instance, at the concert were exactly zero rubbish bins...
My 2 cents....

Kammekor wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:51 am cleaning up you own mess is.

I agree. Keeping your own school clean instills a kind of esprit de corps and sense of pride that carries through into your actions outside of school as well, I would think.

As far as the rest of the city:

For thrown-rubbish prone areas, I always thought a nice, old fashioned prison chain gang would work.

Get those mongrel sods out and actually do something to repay their debt to society, rather than sit on a concrete floor all day, wasting away on prison-yard meth and fermented rice wine.

Kids get down to classroom clean-ups
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2001/ ... P3hcYgzbZs