Healthy Learning schools tree planting initiatives recognized
Former Director General to the World Agroforestry Centre – Dr. Dennis Garrity - with pupils from 10 Healthy Learning schools during the tree planting award ceremony
21/09/2011
The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation (VVOB Kenya) held a schools’ tree planting award ceremony at the Karura Education Centre on 16th September 2011.
Officiating during the ceremony, the Education Ministry Permanent Secretary representative to the event Mr. Indire lauded the schools’ efforts in environmental conservation through tree planting and urged them to do more. He also explained other initiatives in which the Ministry of Education was engaging primary schools in an attempt to achieve the 10% tree cover in accordance with the farm forestry rules. These include Miss Forest the Queen and the Green Schools initiative.
Speaking during the event, Mrs. Ruto who works at the Ministry of Agriculture, department of agroforestry, urged schools to plant multi-purpose trees terming them as ‘high value’ trees.
Former Director General to the World Agroforestry Centre Dr. Garrity together with various government representatives presented certificates of recognition and tree seeds to schools.
Participants included teachers, parents and pupils from 10 schools in 8 arid and semi-arid districts implementing the Healthy Learning programme. They were accompanied by education field officers from their respective districts.
