The School Education Department on Thursday directed all government schools to hold a mass cleaning drive for three days from January 8.
Under the Engal Palli, Milirum Palli (Our school, shining school) campaign, the department has directed the schools to educate students about campus cleanliness, environment protection and recycling, among others.
According to a notification issued by the department, the Education Officers were instructed to carry out the drives from January 8 to 10.
Ideas and methods to implement the drive can be discussed at the School Management Committee meetings, scheduled to be held on Friday.
As part of the drive, classrooms and blackboards in schools have to be cleaned. Papers and unnecessary items that would have accumulated in staff rooms and laboratories, and bushes and weeds on the playground and school premises have to be cleared.
Availability of drinking water has to be ensured. Collected waste should be segregated.
The schools can use the funds from the grant that the department has provided for this drive.
Awareness campaigns are also planned for students.
“Every school has an eco-coordinator, who will raise awareness on the events,” said an official from the department.
Students of Government Model Higher Secondary School, Arumbakkam, are already following waste segregation as part of their teachers’ initiative.
After Cyclone Michaung-induced flood, as the water receded from the school, waste was accumulated in the area. This inspired the headmaster, R. Prabudoss, to install two bins at the school to teach students about waste segregation.
“It is a common knowledge, but never practised consciously. To ensure that it becomes an ingrained habit, this initiative was started,” he said.
“Every classroom has bins, but the children are told to use these bins only for plastic. Since it was set up in December, the bins have now reached their capacity...,” he added.
