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Teachers, pupils celebrate conservation efforts
2005-07-10 10:58:03
By Observer Correspondent Morogoro
Pupils and teachers from eight primary schools in Kiroka Ward in Morogoro District gathered at Lukonde Primary School early this week to celebrate their success in conserving the environment and to appreciate the resulting rewards.
The pupils were joined by parents and relatives from their respective communities who too had reason to celebrate the achievement made by their children.
The celebrations were the climax of a competition organised by WWF - The Global Conservation Organisation (formerly Worldwide Fund for Nature) in collaboration with the Morogoro District office during which the schools competed in conserving the environment around the schools by planting trees, grass and collecting and disposing of solid waste.
The schools are Kiroka, Kiziwa, Kikundi and Kungwe. Others are Bamba, Lukonde, Diovura and Vuleni.
Kiroka Primary School emerged winners in group A while Lukonde won in group B and each was awarded a newly built classroom. The rest of the schools pocketed cash prices ranging from 100,000/- to 250,000/- for purchase of desks.
Addressing the gathering on behalf of the District Executive Director, Maurice Sapanjo, the District Education Officer Ali Mwegole commended the schools for attaining a high level of awareness on environmental conservation.
’’The environment in your schools is greener than it was last year, there is no dust during the dry season and less mud during the rainy season,’’ he said.
Sapanjo also commended WWF-Tanzania for building the capacity of the schools and the communities to conserve the environment through the Environment Education Programme.
Mwegole challenged the parents to be willing to change and learn new ideas so as to attract support from various organisations.
’’You must contribute towards building classrooms because the education of your children is your responsibility. Other organisations will only top up on what you have done,’’ he stressed.
Speaking earlier, the WWF Tanzania Coordinator for Environment Education Programme, Mary Shuma, said that the organisation has been working with communities in Kiroka Ward for the past 10 years to conserve the environment.
’’We are not donors but our responsibility is to educate people on the importance of conserving the environment.
We work with communities that are willing to change. However, the important thing is their commitment to work for their own development and WWF Tanzania will only support their efforts,’’ she said.
In their speech read on their behalf by the Ward Education Coordinator, Shadrack Mtimbwa, the residents said that the Environment Education Programme has drawn together teachers, pupils and the community in a joint effort to conserve the environment.
’’Although the programme is conducted in schools, training teachers and pupils has a positive impact on the community.
Many families now plant trees around the homes,’’ Mtimbwa said.
He said that WWF Tanzania is not only supporting environmental conservation in the area, but also supports provision of quality education by improving the learning environment.
’’The organization has facilitated the training of 65 teachers from the Ward in various fields, it has also organized study tours within the country and abroad for some members of the community and village leaders and members of the school committees have also been trained,’’ the Coordinator said , adding that WWF Tanzania has also provided books to primary schools in the Ward.
The residents requested WWF Tanzania to continue supporting various groups in economic projects and provision of safe drinking water in primary schools.
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