Kenya to Plant 15 Billion Trees through Schools
The State Department of Basic Education has embarked on an initiative to plant 200 million tree seedlings annually in schools throughout the country. This program is part of a broader effort to address the impact of climate change and achieve the presidential directive of planting a total of 15 billion trees by the year 2032.
Dr. Elias Abdi, the Director General of the State Department of Basic Education, conveyed that the Ministry of Education has been tasked with the responsibility of planting the second-highest number of trees in the country, following only the Kenya Forest Service. This assignment is due to the extensive presence of educational institutions across the nation.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu highlighted the fact that there are over 24,000 public primary schools and 9,130 public secondary schools in the country, all of which have suitable land for tree planting to combat climate change.
The Ministry of Education is fully committed to achieving this target and has charged the 398 sub-county directors of education with planting 510,000 trees this year. Emphasis is placed not only on planting but also on nurturing these trees to maturity. The Cabinet Secretary stressed that tree planting should become an integral part of school events and that instilling a sense of environmental responsibility among the youth is essential.
The Ministry has taken steps to integrate environmental conservation into the school curriculum by incorporating it into subjects like home science, social studies, and agriculture. Additionally, various clubs and societies, including the 4K, Red Cross, and Wildlife, have been established in schools to promote environmental awareness among students.
Parents have also been encouraged to participate in tree planting at home, as their efforts can significantly impact the climate in Kenya.
In terms of specific targets, all students in schools are required to plant a minimum of four seedlings, while teachers in colleges and other educational institutions are expected to plant ten seedlings. Employees, including county directors of education and TSC personnel, are tasked with planting 30 seedlings. These efforts are essential to meeting the tree planting goals, which encompass indigenous, exotic, and fruit seedlings.
In the Rift Valley region, the target is to plant 9 million trees across all 14 sub-counties, with significant progress already made by planting 7 million trees. Environmental conservation plays a crucial role in food security and climate change mitigation in the region.
Kajiado County Director of Education, Dr. Martin Cheruiyot, reported that Kajiado is on track to achieve its goal of planting 3.5 million trees this year. More than 1 million trees have already been planted in Kajiado schools through partnerships with various organizations. Efforts are focused on nurturing these trees to maturity, and schools are encouraged to provide proper fencing to protect them from livestock.
To ensure the survival of trees in Kajiado’s semi-arid climate, they are planted in schools equipped with boreholes, allowing students to water the trees using borehole water.
These efforts were part of a tree planting event at Kitengela G.K. Prison, organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service, Africa Disaster Response, Virus Research Foundation, and other partners.
Kenyans and institutions will use the Jaza Miti application to track their tree-planting efforts in order to meet President William Ruto’s directive to plant 15 billion trees in Kenya by 2032. Kajiado County has set an annual target of planting 62 million trees.
Kenya to Plant 15 Billion Trees through Schools
