The Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) has called on schools to mobilize its students to plant trees in large numbers to contribute to the President’s agenda of planting 15 billion trees and to curb the negative effects of climate change.
Speaking during a tree planting campaign at Cardinal Otunga Mosocho High school, Elizabeth Atemi said that apart from schools, churches and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) should also mobilize their members to take part in the campaign.
“I call upon these groups to use their strength of togetherness and stand up to be counted in this important tree planting exercise.” she said.
The administrator thanked the Red Cross Society of Kenya, Scouts and Girl guides for volunteering their services in the tree planting exercise and provision of other community services and asked other organizations to follow suit.
Atemi asked the youth to shun drug abuse and engage their energies towards conservation of their immediate environment.
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Senior Officer Mrs. Beatrice Ongaki thanked the school Chief Principal Albert Ombiro for starting the tree planting exercise with his school.
“The National Environment Management Authority gave you the responsibility of coordinating schools in planting trees. I can see you are equal to the task as you have started with your school. Indeed, charity begins at home,” she said.
The DCC promised that her office will always give technical and material support to schools that showed passion towards environment conservation.
The officer urged students to embrace science subjects due to their high market value in the job market.
Principal Ombiro said that his school values the importance of trees because they help to create an enabling environment for studies to both the learners and teachers.
“We know the vital role that trees play in our lives and we passionately love them because they are essential in the purification of the air we breathe and environmental beautification because majority of trees and flowers are ornamental,” he said.
He said the school has developed a policy in which every visitor who comes to the school plants a tree.
The principal added that the school has put its best foot forward in preparation for this year’s KCSE examination by engaging all possible strategies to post stellar results.
He cited early syllabus coverage, exposing students to joint examinations and total involvement of students in physical activities for their holistic development.
Also in attendance were Kisii Central and Marani Officers Commanding Station (OCSs) Assistant Commissioners, Chiefs and their assistants.
By Enock Okong’o
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