Errand Fee, Art Editor, Troublesome Insect, Drawing
Students helping each other out by running errands and charging a fee for it has become a controversial issue. Recently, journalists learned from some primary and secondary schools in Kunming that some students, taking advantage of living close to school and going home for lunch, would buy food for classmates who were not allowed to leave the campus, charging between 0.5 to 1 yuan as an errand fee. This practice has gained recognition among many students, gradually becoming an "unspoken rule."
Buying a bottle of cola requires at least a 0.5 yuan fee
Sixth-grade student Xiao Liang from a primary school in Guandu District, Kunming, lives near the school and goes home for lunch every day. He usually helps his classmates buy things. According to school regulations, only students with special circumstances or those who live off-campus are allowed to leave during lunchtime. Since there is no supermarket inside the school, boarding students have to rely on off-campus students to buy snacks for them. Xiao Liang was puzzled that some students charge an errand fee of 0.5 to 1 yuan, sometimes even 2 yuan. Charging errand fees has become an unspoken rule among some students. "I don't ask for an errand fee from my classmates, but sometimes they call me 'stupid,'" said Xiao Liang.
It was found that most sixth-grade students are aware of the errand fee practice and have tacitly accepted it. "In general, for a 3-yuan bottle of cola, we charge a 0.5-yuan errand fee. The fee for other items depends on the situation," Xiao Long revealed.
Xiao Min, a student at another primary school, often asks classmates to buy things for her. "I usually give them five yuan for a bottle of cola, and the extra two yuan serves as their errand fee. And most people won't refuse to run errands," said Xiao Min. Xiao Li standing nearby mentioned she had run errands for classmates before: "The pocket money given by my parents isn't enough, so running errands is an easy way to make money." Xiao Gang, dressed in brand-name clothes, said he also helped classmates run errands, although he wasn't short of money, he thought it was fun.
At a certain middle school in Kunming, most students stated that helping classmates is voluntary and does not involve any charges. However, a few students pointed out that such students exist in all schools across Kunming, just to varying degrees.
Creating a "Labor Company" and appointing oneself as "General Manager"
Besides charging errand fees, elementary school students have devised various ways to earn money.
Journalists investigating some primary schools in Kunming found that some students who are too lazy to copy down daily homework assignments pay classmates to do it for them. The price ranges from 1 to 3 yuan depending on the number of words; some students lend money to classmates and collect double the interest; others have sold items purchased abroad at high prices...
Xiao Bing, a sixth-grader, introduced how he and several other boys in his class formed a "Labor Company." Every year during the school-organized spring outings, they help classmates carry backpacks, earning 2 yuan per segment of the journey. As the founder of the company, Xiao Bing appointed himself as the "General Manager," earning not only from carrying backpacks himself but also receiving 30% of the earnings from other "employees." In one day, Xiao Bing can earn up to 80 yuan, and even if business is slow, he still makes nearly 40 yuan. Xiao Bing explained: "The Labor Company was founded in third grade, and over three years, the number of students participating in this labor-for-pay activity has grown from 3 to 15." When asked why he started the company, he said, "I'm not sure. My parents give me more than 400 yuan in pocket money every month."
■ Voices
Parents hold differing views
"I am rather against this premature economic mindset among elementary school students. Relationships between classmates should not be commodified. If children are exposed to commercial elements too early, their values may become overly focused on money, which is not good for their future development," one parent said. Another parent indicated that at the age and experience level of elementary school students, they might distort the spirit of commerce. Secondly, if children want to learn about financial management, the main subject should be the family, not the school.
One parent said: "The appearance of business-like activities among senior students shouldn't be viewed as entirely negative; it's also a form of earning money through one's own labor. If they can understand the difficulty of their parents' work through this, they will be less likely to waste money when shopping."
This expert disagrees
Ding Shan, chairperson of Kunming Xiaotianma Happy Education Club and a family education expert, expressed opposition to elementary school students doing business. Minors have the duty and right to work. First, paying classmates to do tasks materializes peer relationships and drives them toward monetary interests; second, for those who receive payment, making money isn't inherently bad, but equating helping classmates with earning money damages the child's dignity; additionally, from a sociological perspective, elementary school students spending money to hire classmates creates unequal relationships among peers.
She believes that both schools and parents should provide proper guidance and concepts. Parents, in particular, should offer correct opportunities for social practice to their children. For instance, they could emulate foreign children who earn money by delivering newspapers or picking up balls.
Intern reporter Wang Yiru (Life New Paper)