The project "Developing and implementing a roadmap to reduce single-use plastics in schools" aims to improve teaching capacity and practice of reducing single-use plastics among students and teachers in Da Nang’s Son Tra District.

Pupils of the Son Tra Senior High School participating in environmental protection activities on the Son Tra Peninsula. Photo: VAN HOANG

The project is launched by the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Da Nang, the Centre for Adaptive Capacity Building Research (CAB) and the Department of Education and Training of Son Tra District.

It is being implemented at 4 schools in Son Tra District, namely the Son Tra Senior High School, the Nguyen Chi Thanh Junior High School, the Quang Trung Primary School, and the Vanh Khuyen Kindergarten.

The project costs nearly VND570 million funded by the Pacific Environment organisation and it is carried out from May 2024 to the end of March 2025.

The project aims to improve the teaching capacity and practice of reducing single-use plastic use of pupils and teachers at the 4 schools by comparing the amount of waste, knowledge, attitudes, practices of single-use reduction, and the situation of plastic waste management at the end of the project implementation period compared to the survey period.

Under the project, all teachers and pupils are provided with knowledge about single-use plastics. Meanwhile, teachers are trained on appropriate communication methods to integrate the content of plastic waste reduction in regular lessons.

Deputy Director of CAB Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga unveiled that, in September 2024, CAB coordinated with schools to assess the current status of waste management at schools and collect some necessary data. The Center worked with schools to develop separate action plans, suitable for each school in October 2024. It also partnered with the project management board to organise a project kickoff workshop to share and create a commitment to coordination between participating schools and stakeholders in reducing the use of disposable plastic and the amount of waste in schools, as well as exchanging experiences on feasible and sustainable solutions in reducing the use of disposable plastic items.

Over the years, the district's education and training sector has always laid an emphasis on environmental education for pupils through many specific activities. The sector has been coordinating with departments, offices, and units to focus on propaganda, education, and guidance on environmental protection, waste classification, and anti-plastic waste.

Additionally, a number of models of environmental protection and biodiversity have been organised in classes and extracurricular activities such as environmental festivals; exchanging trash for teaching materials; supporting vehicles for waste collection and transportation; a contest to design equipment, teaching aids and STEM products from recycled items in schools; and a writing contest on initiatives and experiences on environmental issues in schools for teachers.

Mr. Tran Van Tien, Deputy Head of the Office of Education and Training of Son Tra District, said that in the coming time, the sector will coordinate with the CAB and related agencies to support the four abovementioned schools in implementing the project effectively. At the same time, the sector will continue to direct the schools to implement the green school model, and guide pupils to classify waste in classrooms and schools.

According to Vice Chairman of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Da Nang Nguyen Dinh Phuc, the project not only improves the skills and capacity of teachers and the environmental protection awareness among pupils, but also contributes significantly to reducing plastic waste in schools.

He, therefore, stressed the need for relevant units and localities to mobilise resources to widely replicate the model of environmental protection and plastic waste reduction to other schools in Son Tra District in particular and Da Nang in general, thereby contributing to reducing the situation of "white pollution" in the city.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by M.DUNG