German mayor wants pupils to clean classrooms

A German mayor’s who proposal that pupils should clean their classrooms has met with opposition from student representatives, which described it as “nonsensical”.

Richard Arnold, the mayor of the southern city of Schwäbisch Gmünd, told broadcaster SWR on Tuesday that pupils used to clean blackboards and sweep the floors in schools on Fridays and Saturdays.

“I will be in favour of reintroducing this in the classrooms.

“That will relieve the financial burden on us and will perhaps give some of the responsibility back to the pupils and teachers,” said Arnold.

He pointed out that Schwäbisch Gmünd spent 4.5 million euros (5.25 million dollars) a year for cleaning schools, daycare centres and other public buildings.

Arnold has been mayor of Schwäbisch Gmünd since 2009.

The municipality like many others is under massive financial pressure.

According to Arnold the proposal was sharply criticised by the student council in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

“In our view, Mayor Arnold’s proposal is nonsensical and not expedient.

“It is hardly possible to get pupils to do additional cleaning in an already tightly scheduled school day,” the student representatives said in a statement.

“As the breaks are for recreation not cleaning, they will have to sacrifice teaching time,” the council added.

Above all, the proposal would affect pupils’ future, the representatives argued.

“Instead of investing in education, children and young people will clean their classrooms themselves instead of learning maths or German, or taking responsibility for shaping their own lives.”