“Strengthening the Value of Cleanliness in
the Canteen Among
The Grade – 6 Students of LCC-N”
I. Introduction:
Cleanliness is both abstract state of being clean and free from
dirt, and the process of achieving and maintaining that state.
Cleanliness may be wed with a moral quality, as indicated by the aphorism “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”, may
be regarded as contributing other ideals such as health and beauty. Being clean
is a sign of spiritual purity or goodness, as to being clean is one of the most
important things in life.
Canteen being one of the physical learning environments of the
students plays a big role in their everyday school life, and so students’ must
play an important role in maintaining the cleanliness of it. Administrations
rules and policies can help students to engage in valuing the cleanliness of
their surroundings. As a student and part of the canteen staff, I am oriented
to maintain the cleanliness of our canteen, not just for the students, but for
the employees and visitors also. But even though there is a signage that state
“After buying and eating, please pick up
your garbage and throw it in the trash can to maintain the cleanliness of our
canteen”, the students seems to not notice the said signage, and continuously
leaving their garbage all over the tables and floors.
Our Technology in the Learning Environment and Environmental
Education team upon noticing students attitude towards cleanliness, made a plan
of action to lessen the trash in the canteen. We created the ClayGO (Clean As
You Go) to impart awareness to the students about how to pick their garbage, or
simply throw their trash before they leave their tables. But then, it still
didn’t work. The question that needs to be answered is “How to strengthen the value of cleanliness specifically in the canteen
among students?” particularly the grade – 6 students.
With 30 grade – 6 students, made as respondents, I concluded that
75% of them are environmentally aware and values the cleanliness in LCC-N. They
are half-way to becoming good stewards of the environment by maintaining the
cleanliness in the canteen.
II. Statement of the Problem:
This Action research is
specifically made to answer these questions:
·
What are the factors that affect
students’ behavior towards cleanliness in the canteen?
·
What intervention program could
be proposed to strengthen the value of cleanliness in the canteen among the
Grade – 6 students?
III. Scope and Delimitation:
This
study is focused on how the Grade 6 students of LCC-N value cleanliness in the
canteen. Thirty (30) Grade 6 students were made as respondents. They were asked
to answer the survey for the purpose of this study.
III. Methodology:
This study used the descriptive
survey method to know the attitude towards cleanliness of the Grade 6 students
of LCC-N. The sample survey questionnaire below was given to the 30 Grade 6
students of LCC-N to help and answer this study.
IV. Study Questionnaire:
What are the factors that affect students’
behaviour towards canteen cleanliness?
Directions: Please check (ü) and rate yourself honestly based on what you actually do given the
statements using the following scales:
Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
FACTORS
|
Strongly
Agree
|
Agree
|
Disagree
|
Strongly
Disagree
|
1. I never encouraged my classmates to throw their garbage on the
trash bins
|
6
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
2. My teacher(s) discuss in the class about environmental awareness
|
|
4
|
17
|
9
|
3. I throw my garbage everywhere because there are school personnel
that are assigned in cleaning the area
|
21
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
4. I join school projects that advocate cleanliness for a better
learning environment
|
|
6
|
16
|
13
|
5. I don’t pick up garbage I see around the area to lessen the
worker’s work
|
10
|
10
|
7
|
3
|
II.
Suggestions:
·
What school program/activities can you suggest to improve the
cleanliness in the canteen?
-
Please check your answer below.
1. Placing additional
trash bins inside the canteen – 24
2. Put up more signage
about cleanliness – 19
3. Conducting of seminars
every 2 months – 16
4. Giving acknowledgement or award to
the most neat and clean batch of eaters – 25
VI. Findings:
A. Personal
Attitude
Among
the items cited for the first category, the results show that many of the
students have a positive attitude towards the environment. 33% of the
respondents ‘strongly disagreed’ that they ‘throw my garbage everywhere because
there are school personnel that are assigned in cleaning the area’; also 33%
‘disagreed’ that they ‘don’t pick up garbage I see around the area to lessen
the worker’s work’.
B. Peer
Influence
Among
the items cited for the second category, the result shows that many of the
students don’t influenced their classmates that much. They just let their
classmates throw their trash everywhere; given there are 40% respondents who
‘agreed’ they ‘never encouraged their classmates to throw their garbage on the
trash bins.’
C. Environmental
Awareness
This
category shows us the student’s awareness in our environment. 56% of the
respondents ‘agreed’ that their ‘teachers discuss about environmental awareness
in the class’; also 53% ‘agreed’ that they ‘join school projects that advocate
cleanliness for better learning environment.’
D. Suggestions:
The
students were given the chance to choose what program or activities they would
want the school services to have for the improvement of the canteen. 83% of the
respondents want to have a program about “Giving acknowledgement or award to
the most neat and clean batch of eaters.” 80% suggests “placing of additional
trash bins.” 63% says that the canteen staff should “put up more signage about
cleanliness”, and 53% suggested of “conducting seminars every two months.”
VII. Conclusion:
In
conclusion, most of the Grade 6 students from La Consolacion College are
environmentally aware and have knowledge on how to keep their surrounding
clean. Nearly all of them seem to be
environmental stewards who keep their surroundings clean by means disposing
their trash in their proper waste bins, and by picking up litter when they see
some lying on the ground.
Most
of the students want to add some projects that will contribute to the
betterment of the canteen. Some of them wanted the school services to add more
waste bins on the canteen area. Putting up more signage was not really
necessary.
So
based on my research, I would say that to keep the canteen clean, proper
orientation and adding more trash bins on the canteen will be a really big
help.
VIII.
Recommendation:
A. Teachers
& School Staff:
-
With
this study, teachers and school staffs would be aware that teaching the
students about environmental awareness is an essential tool. In schools around
the world, school staffs aim to keep their school clean and safe for everyone.
Knowing the positive effects of environmental awareness would help them achieve
a clean and happy learning environment.
B. Administration:
-
Every
institution comes with rules and regulations, programs and plans, for the whole
school year, and for the students. Maybe implementing rules about cleanliness
would help the students realize the value of cleanliness not just on canteen,
but around the campus also.
C.
Future researchers:
-
With
this study, future researchers will have the knowledge on how to strengthen the
value of cleanliness to the students. This also will be a guide for the
enhancement of their study.