Why we should choose green schools

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OPINION

By Suzan Hamujuni Kangyenyenka

Dear parents, teachers, and policymakers,

Uganda faces big environmental problems. Our forests are disappearing, our water bodies are getting contaminated, and weather changes hurt farming, which is Uganda’s backbone.

Our schools can help solve these problems, but they need to change how they work.

Right now, Uganda loses 200,000 hectares of forest every year, as reported by the National Environmental Management Authority. That’s like cutting down all the trees in an area bigger than Kampala.

The story of how our nation, which was once known for its fresh water from lakes and rivers, has now changed due to pollution. The growing strange weather hurts farmers who grow food for 70% of Ugandans.

However, most schools don’t teach children about these problems. Students learn to read and write, but they don’t learn how to protect the environment. When they finish school, they are not ready to face environmental challenges.

Green schools are different. They have solar panels that make electricity from sunlight. They grow vegetables in school gardens. They manage waste properly by recycling and composting.

Most importantly, they teach about the environment in all subjects, not just science. These changes help in many ways. Solar panels cut electricity bills.

School gardens give students healthy food and teach farming skills. Good waste management keeps schools clean. When students learn about the environment in all classes, they understand why nature matters.

The Ministry of Education and Sports should formulate policies to compel schools to embrace sustainability guidelines in their teaching and practice.

Organisations that give money to schools should support green projects. Teachers need training to teach environmental topics in all their classes.

We must start now. Every year we wait, we lose chances to teach children how to care for Uganda’s environment. Our students need an education that prepares them for real life, not just passing exams.

We can keep doing things the old way and watch our environmental problems get worse. Or we can make schools part of the solution. The future of Uganda’s children depends on what we choose today.

Let’s choose green schools for a better Uganda.