Five schools tip off climate smart projects
NEPA, UNICEF and NSECP drive initiative to develop and sustain blueprint in institutions
Published:Saturday | April 20, 2024 | 12:08 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
AS THE world gears up to celebrate another Earth Day on Monday, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica has entered into a partnership with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to develop and sustain climate smart schools in Jamaica.
The initiative is called the Support Climate Smart Schools Project with five high schools already selected for the game-changing initiatives immediately after Earth Day, which is being held under the theme Planet versus Plastics for 2024.
Also in on the project is the National Secondary Environment Club Programme (NSECP), which is leading the initiative facilitated by NEPA.
The five schools that were selected are Cross Keys High School in Manchester, Claude McKay High School in Clarendon, Munro College in St Elizabeth, Central High School in Clarendon and St Catherine High School in St Catherine.
The projects cover rainwater harvesting, waste reduction, recycling, gardening, sustainable agricultural based projects and renewable energy and improvement of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities.
Increasing crop yields by 30 per cent within the next three months is an ambitious goal for Claude McKay High School as it implements a hydroponic system on its tutorial farm.
The system, which is designed to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly, will also help to reduce water usage by 50 per cent and promote sustainable agricultural practices among the students and local farmers.
At Central High School, the students installed a renewable energy solution on the sixth form block to subsidise the overall cost of electricity bills while reducing the use of fossil fuels. The solar power will produce lighting for a gazebo and classrooms.
Stellevit Ingram, principal of Central High School, told The Gleaner recently that he welcomes the project.
“We are glad for the partnership because in an economy where we are trying to conserve energy, this initiative will save the Government of Jamaica funds,” Ingram said.
He continued to state that Central High School is appreciative of UNICEF and NEPA and he is hoping to implement similar initiatives and have more partnerships that will enable them to “roll out solar panels for the entire school”.
‘Enchanted Garden’
The school’s environment club has also expanded the boundaries of their ‘Enchanted Garden’ and a containerised garden of pepper, tomato, cucumber, and lettuce that will be enhanced with the addition of a drip irrigation system to water the crops.
At Cross Keys High School, they are implementing a rainwater harvesting project which is intended to address concerns such as water scarcity, water conservation, sustainability, financial savings, irrigation needs, and skills training opportunities within the school.
Acting principal Lorraine Reid-Henningham expressed appreciation for the project.
“We know about the effects of climate change and the project will improve the students’ competence in rainwater harvesting. The drip irrigation system will enhance production and the project will allow us to be able to have water all year-round so we can produce crops to support the canteen. The students are desirous of extending the project to the community,” Reid-Henningham said.
St Catherine High School is already outfitted with a sustainable and supplementary source of water at the school. As a result, a rainwater harvesting project will help in reducing stormwater run-off and minimise the likelihood of flooding during periods of heavy rains.
Their project will be used to teach students about water conservation and the sustainable use of resources. The harvested rainwater will be connected to a 1,000-gallon water tank which will supplement water for the girls’ bathroom on the junior compound block that serves 690 girls every day. This will enhance the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
At Munro College, students are implementing a recycling and gardening project. The aim is to decrease the number of plastic bottles that end up in the dump from the school. Additionally, a garden will be started to teach students how to use and recycle products in agricultural activities while, at the same time, achieving food security and food safety.
All the students who are participating in the UNICEF and NEPA Climate Smart Schools Project have benefited from climate change enrichment sessions which allowed them to share their experiences and to learn from each other about how they can cope with the effects of climate change.
Camille Beckford Palmer, UNICEF’s programme officer for climate change and disaster risk reduction, told The Gleaner in a recent interview that UNICEF’s vision for climate action and resilience is the development of child-sensitive policies and programmes that promote urgent and participatory climate action, sustainable development and enhance the resilience and participation of children.
“It is important for children and youth to become aware and participate in meaningful adaptation and mitigation measures to combat climate change. Through the Climate Smart Project, students experience practical solutions to cope with the changing climate,” Beckford Palmer said.
She added that as a result of the work done by NEPA through the NSECP, a strong partnership for greater collaboration was developed.
For their part, NEPA is keen on working with students to help to find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Angela Hamilton, NEPA’s public education and corporate communications manager, told The Gleaner that, “I am proud of the schools that have responded to the call and have stepped up to the plate in doing their part to make a difference.”
She also expressed NEPA’s appreciation for the sponsorship given by UNICEF for the Climate Smart Projects in schools and thanked the teachers who have held the hands of students and supervised their efforts.