Education dept directs schools to hold green camps during summer break

Jaipur: The state education department has directed schools to organise Green Summer Camps from June 5 to June 30 to raise awareness among students about environmental conservation, sustainability and healthy lifestyles.

The initiative is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and follows the Union Ministry of Education’s guidelines for conducting Eco-Club activities under ‘Mission LiFE’.

“Camps will focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, sustainable food practices, and measures such as reducing e-waste, along with other environmental activities. School administrations also must conduct activities to spread awareness among students to reduce waste, energy conservation, water conservation, and not using single-use plastic,” a senior official said.

The Union Ministry has asked states to devote adequate time to each theme under the campaign. Schools have been instructed to appoint teacher-in-charges under ‘Mission LiFE’ to document and upload details of all activities on the education department’s portal.

As part of the third edition of ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’, schools have also been asked to undertake plantation drives. Officials said that where space is unavailable within school premises, saplings may be planted at homes, along roadsides, in public spaces or on approach roads to schools.

“Measures should be taken to ensure the survival, maintenance and continued monitoring of the saplings planted by students during both current and previous campaigns,” states an order issued by the education department.

However, teachers’ organisations questioned the practicality of the directive as schools remain closed for summer vacations until June 29.

“Such orders are good for spreading awareness among students, but it is not possible to follow the instructions as with schools being closed, both teachers and students are not available,” said Vipin Prakash Sharma, state president of Rajasthan Primary and Secondary Teachers Associations.