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Writer's pictureNUSCares 2022

Groundwork 1: Much Needed Appreciation for our Cleaners

Updated: Jul 7, 2020

Storyblog by Eldrick

Groundwork by Jie Ying


Most people look forward to their Golden Years as a time of relaxation after several years of seemingly never-ending work. Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to do so; We have saved up enough for our retirement and are ready to travel the world and reclaim what we missed out in our youths or mid-years. Otherwise, we might just want to take a step back and relax amongst family and friends, simply relishing the time spent eating or chatting with our loved ones. Indeed, the Golden Years is a time not to be missed, for having missed the rest, we have decided to miss no more. However, it is apparent that not all of us are able to do so, whether it is because of routine or the fact that the absence of work means a lack of stable financial income.


In NUS Engineering canteen, a group of elderly work tirelessly behind the scenes in cleaning and clearing the tables. Being in their late 50s or 60s, they are a group of individuals who seemed most likely to miss their Golden Years. They work in very humid conditions and have to constantly be on their toes, just in case a table gets vacated and clearing needs to be carried out. A female cleaner, Ah Yoke(not her real name) commented that they were targeted by a canteen staff for resting there. Clearly, working in the canteen is no easy task given the presence of such petty politics. On the other hand, working in the canteen is not entirely negative. When interviewed, a group of Malay aunties share the same sentiments that “Working is fun because we get to talk and do the same thing with one another.” Another added that the flexibility accorded to them means greater freedom when working and that makes the whole atmosphere rather relaxing. Despite the demanding nature of their work, they were able to rest whenever they needed to and could finish work by 4pm. This is important for most of them as they need the time to cook dinner for themselves or their family. Many of them also commented that they were working so that they can meet other people and form new social connections.


It is very heartening to hear how these individuals are so cheerful despite working in a job that is not highly looked upon and tedious. In fact, many of us fail to appreciate these unsung heroes. In NUS, despite the advocation of self-tray returns, a few of us still do not have the habit of returning the trays and this actually trouble the cleaners. The idea that returning the trays deprive cleaners of a job is a fallacy. Instead, it makes their jobs easier as we can allow them to focus on cleaning the tables, improve productivity as well as the quality of their jobs. Personally, I hope that more of us would help by returning our trays and making sure the tables are not too dirty as this not only makes the cleaner’s job easier but also reflect a more civil and gracious student society in NUS. At the same time, we should also recognise that like every other working environment out there, these cleaners face stigmatisation or prejudice by certain individuals and hence, we should always show our appreciation to them with a smile. For the less expressive ones, it is important that we understand deep within ourselves the hardship they face and harbour intrinsic gratitude for the work that they do.

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