JASTRe visits Rimba II Primary School
23rd July 2011
By Danial Norjidi
Four officers from the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation, Ministry of Development (JASTRe) visited Rimba II Primary School on Thursday.
The visit was led by Dr Haji Muhammad Majdi bin Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Aziz, and revolved around a talk on waste management.
It was also carried out as part of a tribute to the Youth Go Green Initiative Award won by the school and was facilitated by Asia Inc Forum, in conjunction with the National Environment Conference, which took place in June.
After the talk at the school, the six Youth Go Green Award-winning students were treated to a field trip to Kampung Ayer, where the officers taught them about the water quality at Kg Ayer and the waste management programme conducted under the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation.
According to Asia Inc Forum’s press release, “The students had the opportunity to observe the dreadful impacts of litter along Brunei River – they were able to witness firsthand the litter, which gave out a very unpleasant smell and sight, that had been swept by the currents and deposited under some of the homes that sit along the river banks during low tide”.
In the press release, it also reads that one of the students commented, “We had no idea the situation was like this.”
Cikgu Normasyitah from the school who joined the trip said, “The trip was very educational as we knew very little about waste management in Kg Ayer before this.”
She also commended JASTRe for their efforts to improve the quality and safety of the water as well as in reducing waste and improving the cleanliness at Kg Ayer.
Sekolah Rendah Rimba II was awarded a Special Award to the 2011 Youth Go Green Initiative Awards that was held alongside the National Environment Conference in June.
Their winning project on waste management and recycling within the school was led by six Year Four and Five students, namely; Akmal bin Bujang, Mohd Raihan bin Abdul Rahman, Ahmad Sabiq bin Ahmad, Nurin Farahiyah binti Jafry, Siti Nur Atiqah Habriyah binti Md Nuzli and Amal Syifa Haaziqah binti Md Sahib under the supervision of Cikgu Normasyitah binti Haji Matassim.
Stuart Kemp, Executive Director of Asia Inc Forum, was quoted as saying, “On behalf of our partners, we would like to thank JASTRe for this excellent educational trip and awareness talk at the school.”
“The students will surely take home some very valuable lessons and I am sure that they will continue to advocate and lead positive change within their school, their homes and their community,” he added.
The half-day programme ended with lunch at Tarindak D’Seni put together by Asia Inc Forum for the students, the JASTRe officers and the National Environment Conference partners.
The Youth Go Green Initiative Awards 2011 was organised by Asia Inc Forum in conjunction with the National Environment Conference in partnership with Alcoa, Butra HeidelbergCement, Total and HSBC and in collaboration with the Science Technology and Environment Partnership (STEP) Centre.
The Borneo Bulletin