FROM ROUTINE TO RELEVANCE: TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CLEANING INTO
COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING IN ZAMBIA
INTRODUCTION
Education is most meaningful when learning connects directly to real life. In many Zambian
schools, however, some daily activities continue to exist outside the formal learning process. One
such activity is school cleaning. While learners regularly clean classrooms and school grounds, the
educational value of this activity is rarely made explicit. In some instances, cleaning is still
associated with punishment rather than learning, which undermines the values promoted by
modern educational reforms.
Zambia’s Competency-Based Curriculum emphasizes the development of practical skills, values,
and attitudes that learners can apply in everyday situations. This approach presents an opportunity
to rethink routine school practices and reposition them as meaningful learning experiences. When
school cleaning is intentionally planned, guided, and assessed, it can serve as a powerful tool for
developing learner competencies such as problem solving, teamwork, responsibility, and
citizenship.
CONCEPTUAL ALIGNMENT WITH COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING
The Competency-Based Curriculum defines learning as the ability to apply knowledge, skills,
values, and attitudes in real-life contexts. Learning is therefore not limited to textbooks and
examinations but is demonstrated through action, reflection, and problem solving. School cleaning
naturally fits within this framework because it requires learners to identify challenges, plan
solutions, work collaboratively, and evaluate outcomes.
Educational theorists argue that meaningful learning occurs when learners actively engage with
their environment. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory emphasizes that learning is shaped through
social interaction and cultural experiences. When learners participate in maintaining their school
environment, they are learning within a familiar and socially meaningful context. Similarly,
Dewey’s theory of experiential learning highlights that education must be grounded in real
experiences if it is to prepare learners for responsible citizenship.
COMPETENCIES DEVELOPED THROUGH STRUCTURED CLEANING PROJECTS
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MARADONAH SICHILENGE- MASI INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS & RESEARCH
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
When cleaning is treated as a learning project rather than a routine task, learners are encouraged
to analyze their environment. They identify sanitation problems such as littering, unhygienic
toilets, or poor waste management. Learners then propose practical solutions, such as improved
cleaning schedules, waste separation, or hygiene awareness campaigns. This process develops
analytical thinking, decision-making, and creativity.
Collaboration and Leadership
Cleaning projects are best carried out in groups. Learners are assigned roles such as group leaders,
record keepers, safety monitors, and quality controllers. Through this structure, learners develop
leadership skills, learn to cooperate with others, resolve conflicts, and take collective responsibility
for outcomes. These are essential social competencies required in both community life and the
workplace.
Citizenship and Values Education
Maintaining a clean school environment nurtures a sense of ownership and civic responsibility.
Learners come to understand that public spaces belong to everyone and must be cared for
collectively. This experience promotes values such as respect, integrity, service, and
environmental responsibility. Such values are central to national development and social cohesion.
Self-Management and Work Ethics
Regular participation in structured cleaning projects helps learners develop discipline, punctuality,
and consistency. They learn to follow procedures, manage time, and complete tasks to an agreed
standard. These habits form the foundation of a strong work ethic and prepare learners for future
responsibilities beyond school.
Communication and Literacy Skills
Cleaning projects generate opportunities for meaningful communication. Learners write reports
on hygiene conditions, keep reflection journals, present findings during assemblies, and create
awareness messages. Language skills are therefore developed in authentic contexts, strengthening
both written and oral communication.
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MARADONAH SICHILENGE- MASI INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS & RESEARCH
CROSS-CURRICULAR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
School cleaning projects support learning across several subjects. In Integrated Science, learners
explore hygiene, health, and environmental sustainability. In Mathematics, they measure spaces,
calculate quantities of materials, and analyze simple data. In Civic Education, learners apply
concepts of citizenship and public responsibility. Language subjects benefit through report writing,
reflection, and presentations. Life Skills Education is reinforced through teamwork, problem
solving, and self-care.
This integration reflects real life, where learning does not occur in isolated subjects but through
interconnected experiences.
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING: MAKING CLEANING A LEGITIMATE SCHOOL-
BASED ASSESSMENT
For school cleaning to qualify as a meaningful learning activity, assessment must be intentional
and competency focused. Assessment should not measure how hard learners work, but how well
they demonstrate planning, collaboration, execution, and reflection.
SAMPLE TEACHER ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Learners may be assessed on their ability to identify problems, work effectively in groups,
complete assigned tasks, communicate findings, and reflect on learning. Assessment tools may
include observation checklists, project rubrics, learner journals, and peer assessments. The focus
should be on progress and competence rather than punishment or compliance.
REFLECTION AS EVIDENCE OF LEARNING
Reflection is a critical component of competency-based assessment. Learners should be guided to
explain what they learned, the skills they developed, challenges encountered, and how the
experience relates to life at home or in the community. Reflection transforms physical activity into
intellectual and moral learning.
MOVING AWAY FROM PUNITIVE PRACTICES
Using cleaning as punishment sends a negative message that manual work is inferior. This
approach contradicts the values of dignity, service, and responsibility promoted by modern
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MARADONAH SICHILENGE- MASI INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS & RESEARCH
education. For cleaning to support learning, it must be clearly separated from disciplinary
measures. Learners should understand the purpose of the activity, the skills being developed, and
how their performance will be assessed.
Recognition of effort, learner voice, and constructive feedback are essential for sustaining
motivation and positive attitudes.
IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY
School leaders play a critical role in this transformation. They must ensure that cleaning projects
are included in school-based assessment plans, that teachers are supported with assessment tools,
and that parents understand the educational value of such activities. Teacher training institutions
and education authorities should also provide guidance on integrating routine school activities into
competency-based learning.
CONCLUSION
When intentionally planned and assessed, school cleaning becomes more than a routine task. It
becomes a powerful learning experience that develops practical skills, values, and responsible
citizenship. In the Competency-Based Curriculum era, education is not confined to classrooms or
examinations. It is demonstrated through meaningful action, reflection, and service.
A clean school, therefore, is not merely a hygienic environment. It is evidence of learning that
prepares young people to contribute positively to their communities and to the nation.
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MARADONAH SICHILENGE- MASI INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS & RESEARCH
References
Dewey, John. Experience and Education. New York: Macmillan, 1938.
Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 1970.
Ministry of Education. Competency-Based Curriculum Framework. Lusaka: Government of
Zambia, 2023.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Future of Education and Skills 2030.
Paris, 2019.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. If You Don’t Understand,
How Can You Learn? Global Education Monitoring Report Policy Paper 24, 2016.
Vygotsky, Lev. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.
Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1978.
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