Tema, June 06,GNA-AbibiNsroma Foundation and the Tema Metro Education Directorate have initiated a Plastic Litter Management Assessment programme for schools within Tema Central Constituency to mark World Environment Day.
Riding on the theme for this year: “Ending Plastic Pollution”, the collaboration was hinged on fifteen indicators carefully designed to assess the schools performance in how they manage the use of plastics toward Zero Plastic waste and improved sanitation.
Some of the indicators had to do with separation of refuse, type of bins, revenue from the sale of segregated plastics, other environmental initiatives, presence of refuse dump, signs of burning and recycling.
The Team embarked on an unannounced visit to the selected five schools to get first hand information on their activities.
According to Mr Robert Amiteye,Convenor, AbibiNsroma Foundation, “it was a good opportunity for us to experience the true state of the prevailing environmental sanitation situation.”
He said, through observations and interactive engagement with some of the facilitators and learners the exercise was conducted.
The schools were Tema Technical Institute, Chemu Senior High, Tema Industrial Technical Vocational Institute, Presbyterian Senior High and Methodist Day Senior High.
“This assessment initiative will be extended to the Primary and Junior High School levels to help scale up efforts to combat the plastic litter menace.”
The assessment team members included Mrs, Bernice Ofori, Tema Metro Director of Education, Lawyer Akua Obimpeh, Lawyer Henry Teitey Tetteh-Afi, the Senior High School Coordinator, and Madam Nancy Tetteh, the School Health Education Programme Coordinator.
Other supporting institutions and personalities during the maiden assessment included Madam Doris Gorman of the Tema Metro Information Services Department and Madam Erica Amoako-Attah of the National Youth Authority.
The exercise was led by Bob T.K Amiteye of AbibiNsroma Foundation.
The accessors were very happy to see the commitment by the schools in managing plastic litter as resource material.
Mr. Amiteye indicated that there was a need to “increase education on positive behavioural actions to improve sanitation in our surroundings.”
Inadequate collection of plastic litter for recycling prevails as one of the challenges and citizens ought to be environmentally responsible, he added.
The assessment report will be shared with the schools to appreciate their performance.
The World.Environment day is celebratrd annually on 5th June to raise awareness on the fragile nature of the environment and how to protect it.
This year’s celebration was on theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
GNA
SOF