The head teacher of Santa Maria Private School, Mushin, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, Mrs Lucy Ikeh, has urged parents to teach their children how to keep their environment clean and always observe the compulsory environmental sanitation day for their own good and the betterment of the society.
Ikeh made this call during the school’s environmental sanitation exercise organised by the school in partnership with Chartered Standard Bank PLC and Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA.
•Students of Santa Maria Private School Mushin, Lagos with their head teacher, Mrs Lucy Ikeh during a street cleaning exercise in their area
Hundreds of the school pupils went on the streets in Mushin,Lagos for the exercise. They came out with their rakes, shovels and nose cover masks and cleaned some streets in the area, including the popular Palm Avenue and Silver, Anipela streets.
The exercise which was unique was a way of creating awareness that sanitation is a collective responsibility that include both adults and children in the society.
Ikeh reiterated that the programme was not only held to clean the streets, but to also pass a strong message to the public that environmental sanitation is the responsibility of everybody.
She noted that dirty environment exposes everyone to health hazards such as malaria, typhoid, environmental nuisance and other diseases.
She, therefore, advised both parents and children to keep their environment clean at all time.
The residents commended the school management and the kids for such an exemplary behaviour.
One of the residents, Chris Ugwa, said what the children did sent a strong message to the society that everybody should come together to keep the environment clean.
He said it sent a good signal to them that there is still hope for the future because when children learn this in their early age, it will help them to grow into responsible adults.
The elated children expressed happiness that they were part of the exercise. They thanked the school management for giving them the opportunity to contribute to the society.
•Some of the students in action during the exercise
One of the pupils, Miss Adaeze Anene, said that she was delighted that she was involved in the exercise. She enjoined both kids and adults to be involved in cleaning their homes and environment.
Another student, Ayomide Gbadegesin, urged parents to get their kids involved in environmental sanitation.
According to Gbadegesin, in most homes children are not allowed to do house chores or participate in environmental sanitation, leaving their househelps and adults to do them.
He said such acts should not be encouraged, adding that children should also learn how to keep their environment by participating in sanitation exercise.
He noted that cleanliness is next to Godliness and everybody must be involved in the cleaning of their environment.
Naija Echo 