‘Model Green School’ Project launched at Yarrowkabra Primary School

(March 21, 2018) – Today, the Ministry of Communities under its Green Generation Guyana (#3G) Sanitation Programme launched its ‘Model Green School’ Project (GSP) at the Yarrowkabra Primary School on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

The Ministry of Communities’ intention through this project is to create a model of greening at the newly constructed school that can be replicated at other primary schools across Guyana.

A number of items were handed over to the school today in the presence of students, parents, teachers, Officials of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communities, the Regional Democratic Council and the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF).

The items include waste disposal bins, garden tools, wall posters, composter, life-size posters and soap dispensers. The disposal bins are of two types, one to accommodate organic waste and the other that accepts inorganic waste.

It is expected that the organic waste can be transformed into compost material which can be used to provide additional nutrients to garden plants in the school’s compound and trees to be planted following a tree-planting exercise. This will serve to reduce the amount of waste that is disposed of which can be otherwise utilised.

Representing the Department of Education Region Four was Regional Education Officer (ag), Ms. Tiffany Favourite-Harvey. During her remarks, she said that although the Green School Project will be piloted at the Yarrowkabra Primary School, efforts will be made to bring a few other schools on-board gradually.

She said that it is necessary to eventually have all the schools on-board since the message of ‘Going Green’ can be taught to the 33,198 learners within the Department of Education Region Four.

Meanwhile, Project Manager of the Basic Needs Trust Fund, Mr. Dikedemma Utoh said that the Yarrowkabra Primary School was completed in February 2017. He said that during the construction of the school a number of ‘green’ interventions were used such as translucent sheets to bring in natural light, thereby reducing the use of electricity.

In addition, a small system was installed on the school’s roof to power security lights in the night. He said that the school was built in the BNTF’s Seventh Cycle and since the BNTF is entering its ninth cycle plans are afoot to return to the school to install an even larger solar component so that in the day, the school can opt to use solar electricity or that being supplied by the national grid.

Following the brief handing-over ceremony the students were shown live demonstrations as to how they should use the new tools and the benefits of each item. The demonstrations addressed waste separation, composting, tree planting and hand washing.