Speeches
Speech by RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, at the Schools’ Green Audit Awards on Friday, 18 April 2008, at 2.15pm at Republic Polytechnic
Ms Loh Wai Kiew, Chairman, Singapore Environment Council (SEC)
Dr W.A.M Alwis, Deputy Principal, Academic Affairs, Republic Polytechnic
Mr Tan Wee Hock, Director, 3P Network National Environment Agency
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good Afternoon,
I am happy to be here today for the 8th Schools’ Green Audit Awards Ceremony.
The Schools’ Green Audit Awards programme has become an important event for schools committed to instilling in our youth the interest in protecting our environment. The programme achieves this by showcasing schools’ efforts to be environmentally-conscious.
This Awards programme recognises the contributions made by the schools and encourages continuous improvement in resource conservation, waste minimisation and the “greening” of school grounds. I am heartened that students are also engaged in activities beyond the boundaries of the schools which help to educate the larger community on the need for energy and water conservation. Some schools I am told adopt parks and waterways. Students design websites to draw attention to nature areas and to serve as information portals. They also help in dengue prevention education and help to keep the environment clean by removing litter during mass school activities.
Here are some noteworthy examples. Tampines Junior College, receiving the Lotus Award today, has adopted a stretch of Sungei Tampines and put in the effort to create awareness within one school population, the cluster schools and the community on the importance of Sungei Tampines as a mangrove habitat and a future source of drinking water. The JC students involved the Primary Five pupils of the cluster schools in a training programme that created environmental awareness. Students also set up a website with information on Sungei Tampines to educate residents on the need to keep the river clean, and I understand that this garnered positive reactions from the residents.
Christ Church Secondary School, one of the winners of the Sustained Achievement Award, has, over the years, been involved in many “green” activities. The school worked with the canteen vendors, collecting used cooking oil which they recycled into hand soaps, made use of discarded potato peels to power clocks and even produced organic essential oils from the plants they grew in school. Christ Church Secondary has extended their “green” efforts to their cluster schools by conducting a Science trail in which three primary schools participated. Students have also engaged the community with activities such as increasing dengue awareness by having door-to-door meetings with residents and distributing flyers on preventing mosquito breeding.
I am also told that as further impetus, the SEC and the National Environment Agency are launching the 10% Energy Challenge for students to work towards reducing their utilities bills at home and hence reduce carbon emissions. This adds to the many programmes that the SEC organises to bring together schools and students, raise awareness and engage them in meaningful activities.
It is encouraging to note that environmental education is gaining popularity in schools. It is an important topic. We need to be mindful that some initiatives have unforeseen consequences. For example, the conversion of corn to generate biofuels. Other initiatives, when assessed in totality, may turn out to be more harmful to the environment and the economy. Our students should learn how to apply their minds to properly evaluate such initiatives.
As a start, it is important to raise the level of awareness on the need to be environmentally-conscious. At the primary level, environmental education can take the form of activities within the science curriculum such as field trips to nature areas, and, community service projects. At the secondary level, environmental education can be incorporated into the sciences or into the activities of student clubs. Students can be given more autonomy in deciding which aspect of the environment interests them, and work on projects in that area, under the guidance of mentors and teachers.
Environmental education activities should foster in our students an awareness of, concern and care for the natural and the urban environment. An action-oriented environmental education programme within the school should promote civic responsibility among our students. It should also encourage them to address environmental issues critically and creatively. Using their knowledge, skills and assessment, they should be involved in problem identification and problem-solving.
I am glad to know that our students are doing their part in protecting the environment and increasing environmental awareness among the community, through the various projects and programmes they have in place. Their efforts will go some way towards helping to bring about a cleaner and greener world for future generations.
My congratulations to all the schools that will be receiving awards today. I hope that you, by example, will inspire other schools to infuse environmental activities into the various school programmes so that more young people are made aware of their role in protecting the environment.
Thank you.