Students should be trained to clean school toilets, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Most toilets in schools in this country are not maintained and repaired properly, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

In saying this, the premier added that he had ordered the Education Ministry to inspect toilets in schools and also to ensure every student is responsible for their cleanliness.

"When I ordered Fadhlina Sidek (Education Minister) to check the toilets in schools, many were broken. No one had cared for it for decades.

"How are we sending our children to school when the toilet is broken?Our children are humans, not 'Gods' who don't need to use the toilet," he said when speaking at the D'Anjung Selera Madani opening ceremony in Bandar Tun Razak today.

Anwar also reminded school students to take seriously the issue of toilet cleanliness and comfort.

Therefore, he suggested that the students be trained to clean the toilet.

"When I was Education Minister, I had instructed all schools to make schedules to clean the toilets.

"There are parents and upper classmen sending me telegrams (to object) asking me that they sent their kids to school to study, not to clean toilets.

"I said the instruction was aimed at educating the students about cleanliness and respect for others, including toilet cleaners," he said.

Anwar had previously held the post of Education Minister in 1986, during the administration of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.mad.