The Environmental Conservation Community of Tanzania (ECCT) has urged society to prioritize environmental education for children and youth in schools to foster a generation that values environmental preservation and sustainability.
The call was made by ECCT Executive Director Lucky Michael during a weekend event in Dar es Salaam, where she provided waste management education to students at Daniel Chongolo Secondary School as part of the organization’s celebration of World Cleanup Day.
Lucky emphasized the importance of educating children about environmental issues from a young age, stating that it helps develop their intellectual capacity and awareness about the significance of environmental conservation.
"As Tanzania continues to make significant strides in environmental conservation, it is essential that we, as a community, educate our schoolchildren so they can understand the benefits of environmental preservation from an early age," Lucky said.
ECCT Communications Officer Nyanzobe Makwaia also highlighted the organization's active participation in environmental cleanup efforts, such as beach cleanups, in addition to its educational initiatives.
She further explained that since its inception four years ago, ECCT has collaborated closely with the government to achieve its environmental conservation objectives, including tree-planting campaigns in public areas.
Mwanahamic Mhando, an environmental teacher at Daniel Chongolo Secondary School, expressed gratitude to ECCT for their educational outreach, noting that the school, being newly established, was in need of environmental education to create a greener and more attractive environment, especially due to its coastal location.
Two South Korean nationals, Min Jeong Lee and Minj Kim, who are in Tanzania for environmental conservation training through ECCT, commended the country's efforts to improve the environment.
They expressed their appreciation for the government’s and private sector stakeholders' initiatives, which they believe will continue to elevate Tanzania’s environmental status