P1160679YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALISTS BRIGADE

Children are the world’s most valuable resource and the best hope for the future ………….These were the words of John F Kennedy. These words cant ring more true than in the world that we inhabit today..While irresponsible adults have exploited mother nature without any moral restraint, today our aspirations for saving our environment, depend on our children..

..Children  are born with a special affinity for nature . If properly nurtured this can lead to strong ecological understanding and eventually to sustainable patterns of living when they are adults.

Teaching children about nature at a tender age is like teaching them about life . The basic lessons of caring , sharing , giving and taking are cultivated in their interaction with environment…

The Ringlet school SJK Tamil hopes to achieve just that and more ..They have a comprehensive environmental programme incorporated in their curriculum to help develop a genuine love , understanding and connectivity with nature

The school has an incredible rainwater harvesting programme started initially by WWF and now funded by the ministry of education

They have seven water tanks collecting rainwater which supply more than half the needs of the school .

They are an orchid icon school ,having started this programme with Persatuan Orchid Ipoh . Their main aim is to conserve endangered species of endemic orchids. They are teaching the children about the different species of orchids and propagating them . They also participate in rehabilitation and replanting of near extinct and endangered species of orchids in the wild .

They are also carrying out a hibiscus replanting project , preparing almost upto 100 saplings per year and donating to other schools to encourage them to plant more trees.

They are also doing a project composting household waste/ This is supervised by REACH-

They have their own composting plot where young children learn about organic cultivation.

The older children in the school are learning to do water testing , bringing out awareness to the high level of pollution in our rivers

Every child in the school has adopted a plant with his or her name on it. They are responsible fopr watyering or nurturing the plant – A great way to understand this special relationship with our natural surroundings. There are lots of animals being reared in the school..

In 2008 the school did a recycling project which was introduced by REACH( Regional Environmental Action of Cameron Highlands) sponsored initially by CIMB and then taken up by the school PIBG

Every classroom has a specially designed recycling bin . There are nearly 30-40 bins in the school.

They even have recycling competitions and the classroom with the highest collection gets an award to encourage such efforts

There is a corner in the school which displays art and craft made from recycled materials by the children.

I can’t say enough about the sincerity of this instituition and its staff especially Cigku Anand Selva , Guru Besar and the dedicated team of teachers who are doing most commendable work in creating awareness among children as young as six years old. ……….Thus creating a whole new generation of young environmentalists

A week after I visited the school it was given the prestigious SEKOLAH BERPRESTASI TINGGI award by the deputy Prime Minister ( A truly green school just a few feet away from the ill fated Sungei Ringlet which faced  floods recently …

Congratulations once again to all at SJK Tamil Ringlet

 

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