Schools across Da Nang have been active in educating their pupils on environmental protection through practical activities such as swapping recyclable trash for gifts, collecting plastic waste, and building a model of free plastic schools

Pupils from the Vo Thi Sau Primary School have been actively involved in swapping recyclable trash for gifts. Photo: NGOC HA

Most recently, the Youth Union Organisation of the Ong Ich Khiem Primary School, based in Hai Chau District, has launched a programme on swapping recyclable trash for green trees, aimed at educating pupils about the effects discarded plastics on the environment and wildlife, and increasing green space in the community by planting and caring for trees in classrooms.

Thao Nguyen, a pupil of Grade 4/2, said that her family had a habit of collecting and classifying plastic bottles or unused batteries. Therefore, she brought a lot of recyclable items such as old books, plastic bottles, and milk cartons in order to swap them for gifts.

“I feel happy because I can do useful things, partly making small contributions to environmental protection" said Nguyen.

Similarly, in March 2022, the Vo Thi Sau Primary School in Hai Chau District launches a programme to swap plastic bottles, cartons and cans for face masks, school supplies, etc., every weekend.

The school's principal Nguyen Thai Phong said that after 3 weeks of launching the programme, the school's teachers have received nearly 500kg of plastic waste, shredded paper, and empty cans that were sorted by school pupils.

Mr. Phong highlighted the importance of the meaningful programme in developing habits of environmental protection and waste classification at home, and encouraging them to reduce the use of plastic waste.

Under a World Wide Fund for Nature Viet Nam-funded project on managing plastic waste in Thanh Khe District in 2021, some schools in the locality were selected to carry out the pilot model of free-plastic schools.

And, the Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Secondary School is one of three schools selected to participate in this model.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, Headmistress of the Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Secondary School, said that environmental education was the school’s regular activity.

Notably, the school’s Youth Union organisation for teachers has carried out a youth project themed "VND200 house" from 2020. The purpose of the project is to help school pupils have a place to put away plastic waste, and sell it to raise funds for needy pupils.

According to the Head of the Office of Natural Resources and Environment of Thanh Khe District, Mr. Le Trung Minh Tan, the implementation of the ‘free plastic schools’ model has investigated background data on the current status of waste at school, and the living habits of pupils and teachers.

Since then, experts from WWF Viet Nam and relevant functional units will support schools in developing and implementing action plans to reduce plastic waste.

“The model of free plastic schools will be expanded into about 10 schools by 2025. Hopefully the model will spread more widely in schools across the city in the near future” said Mr. Tan.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by M.DUNG