In a continued push to sensitise children on environmentalism from an early age, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has directed all public and private primary school students and teachers to report to school this Friday, October 10, for tree planting exercise nationwide to mark Mazingira Day.
Speaking on Thursday, Bitok said the day will not be just about tree planting, but about instilling a culture of environmental conservation among Kenyan youth.
“This is about more than putting holes in the ground. It’s about growing a generation that loves the environment,” said Bitok, as he outlined plans for schools to plant at least 2,000 fruit trees each on the day.
This year’s agenda leans heavily towards sustainability with fruit trees in the limelight. The Education Ministry indicates that not only will deforestation and climate change be combated, but school nutrition also be improved through having fruit orchards on school grounds.
“We desire that students plant trees that will benefit them and their children,” added Bitok.
The pupils and teachers are expected to be in school from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the exercises. Headteachers are responsible for conducting and coordinating the day, while regional, county, and sub-county education officials will provide support for implementation so that all schools participate.
The Ministry is also inviting schools’ alumni and the communities at large to engage, thus making Mazingira Day a unifying occasion for entire neighborhoods.
It is not just a school exercise. It’s a community exercise,” Bitok maintained, calling on former students to go to their former schools and engage in the exercise.
The order comes hot on the heels of Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa also challenging Kenyans to take action and engage in the tree planting exercise, declaring that the entire month of October has been allocated to plant fruit trees throughout the country.
Did we plant sufficient trees? No. But we are doing better than we did previously. We’ve done 500 percent better than the previous government, she claimed. “It is not a one-day event. We would like the whole month to be the fruit tree planting month. If Ethiopia could, we can.”.
So far, the government estimates trees have been planted in numbers totaling about 1 billion. But with the climate crisis looming overhead, officials say the rate must continue and schools, being central to communities, are a key force behind it.
As Mazingira Day approaches, the message from the Education and Environment ministries alike is the same: Kenya’s green future lies in the hands of its children and on Friday, they will be full of seedlings.
