By Bisola Adeyemo
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is in collaboration with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) to include waste management in the primary school curriculum.
Speaking at the inaugural training of teachers, with the theme: ”Waste Education in the 21st Century” the Managing Director, LAWMA, Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, said that it was a way of re-orientating the younger generations for a sustainable environment.
Odumboni said that incorporating waste management into the academic curriculum was the most creative way of reshaping the environmental consciousness of the younger generation.
He said that the initiative became necessary to mitigate reckless dumping of waste around Lagos, as it was not enough to keep sweeping the streets of Lagos to keep it clean but to arrest indiscriminate dumping around the city.
”We have decided to change the narrative of waste management through the young ones, by catching them young and we understand that teachers are the best advocates and change agents whose impact cannot be shoved aside.
”We are optimistic that incorporating waste management into primary school curriculum would not only be taught but put into practice, for the students and with time, become a tradition,” the LAWMA boss said.
He said that the LAWMA Academy, a knowledge hub of waste management operated by the agency, was borne out of the need to manage waste in a smart and modern way, and to instil a sound understanding of waste management in the pupils to turn waste into wealth.
”The challenge of improper waste management among Lagos residents is as a result of not having proper understanding of waste management, and not being environment friendly.
”Therefore, we need to teach these children how to understand sorting of waste and keeping their environment clean, while regional trainings will be held in schools from time to time.
”This will no doubt help them develop a positive attitude towards waste and in future, we would have proud waste managers and business experts among them,” Odumboni said.
In his address, the Chairman of LASUBEB, Mr Wahab Alawiye-King, appreciated LAWMA for coming up with the initiative, describing it as the first of its kind in sub-Sahara Africa.
At LASUBEB, “we aim to create an enabling environment for quality education for pupils, as well as improve quality of teaching and learning.
”Therefore, we will work together with LAWMA and instill environmental discipline in the pupils, to make them conscious of their actions and inactions towards the environment.
“We are thankful for this thoughtful and impactful initiative,” Alawiye-King said.
