In 2006, at the Youth day celebrations, President Levy Mwanawasa made a declaration. This declaration would compel young people to demonstrate environmental responsibility by taking action for the environment. On October 25, 2007, the Ministry of Education released a circular to all Provincial Education Officers in the country directing all Zambian schools (pre-school to college) to revive or establish the Chongololo and Chipembele Conservation Clubs of Zambia (CCCCZ). Many schools have responded favourably to the Ministry’s directive to have the Chongololo and Chipembele Conservation Clubs of Zambia. The number of clubs now stands at approximately 1,030, representing an increase of 42 per cent since 2011.
Members of the Chongololo club learn about the different habitats and animals of Zambia. Members of the Chipembele club on the other hand learn about practical conservation skills including water monitoring, energy efficiency, and tree nursery establishment to mention a few. The club members have among other things been involved in school clean-up campaigns, tree planting, school and community sensitisations and educational tours to national parks and other areas of environmental importance.
The conservation Clubs have also attracted the support of both corporates and non-corporates stakeholders including parents, teachers and school managers. The Elephant Charge is one of the major supporters of the Chongololo and Chipembele Conservation Clubs and has been providing support since 2012. In 2013, the Zambia Environmental management Agency undertook to award the best performing clubs. To date, four Chongololo Clubs and four Chipembele Clubs have been awarded from eight different schools.
Despite the success however, much work still needs to be done if schools are to contribute to environmental sustainability. The major challenge faced in the implementation of the clubs is apathy from school managers, teachers (club leaders), the pupils (club members) and parents of pupils. Some school managers and teachers have little interest in environmental education or conservation and are thus reluctant to subscribe for the clubs. Pupils have adopted a negative attitude to environmental protection. This arises partly due to practises in schools, for example some schools instruct a pupil to pick litter around the school for truant behaviour. This inadvertently implants a negative view of environmental protection in the mind of the pupil. Parents also contribute to the lack of pupil involvement in conservation. Some parents have been reported to have complained to school authorities for having their children collect waste in and around the school.
Let us use litter as our case. Picking litter must not be given to pupils as a punishment for truancy but should be a part of a school clean-up initiative. Pupils should be able to enjoy learning for and about the environment through practical methods. By allowing pupils to pick litter on a selected day of the week, as part of their extra-curricular activities, they will be helped to develop a positive outlook on environmental responsibility regardless of their age.
Making schools a litter free area will not be realised without the collaboration of parents. Parents are the primary facilitators that shape children’s behaviour. They should do their best to orient their children on the importance of keeping the environment clean. For example, parents should encourage their children to not drop litter wherever they might be but put it where it belongs. If parents work together with school management to ensure a clean and health environment, we will be able to realise the country’s goal of keeping Zambia clean and healthy.
From an early stage, school children should be motivated to volunteer and help establish groups that will specifically target litter. These small groups could be called the Anti-litter Crew (ALC). Those initially involved will take responsibility for sensitising other young people on the need to dispose of litter properly and encouraging other young to join from across different grades within their school. The ALC would work with their club leaders to acquire equipment such as bin bags (liners), gloves and litter grabbers. The crew should be accorded an opportunity to sensitise their fellow pupils within the school. Again, the willingness for pupils to volunteer in the crew will largely depend on how supportive the parents are. If parents view picking litter as a form of ‘child labour’, children will adopt a very negative view to environmental protection.
The ALC would include a number of children whose behaviour can sometimes be challenging. This group will help them develop self-esteem and a greater sense of responsibility and belonging. In general, the children will have a greater awareness of the environment and the importance of keeping the school and local area litter free. In fact, a clean learning environment plays a significant role on the learning process.
Psychologists have shown that behaviour is learned through socialisation. In anticipatory socialisation, young people practice certain behaviour that prepares them for future roles.
That is why schools have career days where pupils dress up, act, and ‘role play’ future careers some as medical doctors, entrepreneurs, police officers etcetera. This is also true in environmental education. When pupils are helped to appreciate the value of taking action to protect the environment, they adopt a positive outlook and will do their level best to help protect it. In a school setup, it calls for the collaboration of all stakeholders including parents, school managers, teachers and the community at large. Remember, we do not inherit the environment from our ancestors; we borrow it from our posterity. It is this posterity, the young people and their children that school conservation clubs target, let us help them.
Comments: Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia on Tel/Fax: +260 211 251630 or email wecszzam@gmail.com or send a letter to Wart Hog, P.O Box 30255, Lusaka. Or find us at Fb.me/conservationzambia