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To further promote the practice of ¡°use less, waste less¡±, the Environment Protection Department earlier launched the Early Childhood Education Pilot School Campaign ¡°Prevention First before Reuse and Recycling¡±, in collaboration with the Child Education Centre for Teaching and Learning (CECTL) of the Department of Childcare, Elderly and Community Services under the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), to cultivate a green culture among the younger generation.
Officiating at today¡¯s (January 29) achievement ceremony for the Pilot School Campaign and the launch ceremony for the Kids' Greenway project, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said the pilot school campaign, which aims to help disseminate the low carbon living message of ¡°use less, waste less¡± to nursery schools and kindergartens, is a good start to promote environmental education at the pre-primary level.
He noted that the campaign had ended successfully, with a total of 53 nursery schools and kindergartens, involving more than 3 000 students and parents, participating in the programme. In addition to an educational pack on waste reduction, the participating nursery schools and kindergartens were also provided with a motion-sensing three-colour recycling bin, which is specially designed with reference to children¡¯s height, to assist teachers in conducting environmental education in schools. During the campaign, the CECTL also provided training for about 120 teachers to ensure the effective use of the educational pack in environmental education.
Mr Wong also called on nursery and kindergartens to provide their support for the Kids¡¯ Greenway project, which is to be launched by the IVE to enhance understanding of the ¡°reduce, reuse and recycle¡± concept of low carbon living among kindergarteners and further cultivate the ¡°use less, waste less¡± culture in pre-primary education.
The Kids¡¯ Greenway project is an environmental education and community action project supported by the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF). Organised by the IVE, the project aims to strengthen teachers¡¯ capabilities in developing school-based green curricula and raise the environmental awareness of pre-primary students, mainly through the provision of two sets of teaching packs for children of different age groups, the establishment of a Teacher Resources Bank on waste reduction and recycling, and the provision of relevant training programmes.
In addition to the two ceremonies held at the IVE (Sha Tin) today, there was also a Green Exhibition showcasing details and achievements of the Pilot School Campaign. The event also provided a platform for guests and participating school representatives to share their experience and insights on implementing pre-primary environmental education.
Other officiating guests at today¡¯s ceremony included the Executive Director of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), Mrs Carrie Yau; the Chairman of the ECF, Dr Joseph Lee; the Chairman of Environmental Education and Community Action Projects Vetting Sub-committee, Mr Cary Chan; the Deputy Executive Director of the VTC, Professor Ronald Chung; the Principal of the IVE (Sha Tin) and Academic Director of Childcare, Elderly and Community Services Discipline, Mr Daniel Kwok; and the Head of Department of Childcare, Elderly and Community Services, Mrs Lorraine Pak.
Ends/Friday, January 29, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:13
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