Schools urged to use creative works to tackle climate change

Pupils from Lion Hill Primary School, located near Lake Nakuru National Park, joined staff from Sarova Woodlands Hotel led by Cluster General Manager Duncan Mwangi of Sarova Woodlands and Sarova Lion Hill Lodge and members of the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya in a plastic waste cleanup to mark World Environment Day on June 5, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

In a bid to promote environmental protection and climate action, schools across Kenya will soon be required to participate in creative and innovative initiatives aimed at addressing environmental challenges.

The Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Julius Bitok, announced plans to issue a directive to all 45,000 schools nationwide to engage in competitions where learners will be recognised and awarded for their compositions and other creative work.

Dr Bitok made the announcement during a ceremony at State House Nakuru, where winners of the First Lady’s Mazingira Awards (FLAMA) were feted.

“The Ministry will issue a directive to all the 45,000 schools across the country for learners to take part in these competitions, which encourage environmental conservation through creativity and innovation,” he said.

First Lady Rachel Ruto said this year’s competition attracted participation from more than 2,000 schools.

“The aim of this competition is to nurture environmentally responsible citizens by providing them with a platform to express their ideas and actions towards addressing climate change through creative means,” she said.

Since its launch in 2023, the FLAMA initiative has empowered many schools to become hubs of environmental action and awareness.

This year’s competition saw participation from 2,400 schools, with learners submitting essays, poems, artwork, and innovative projects centred on environmental sustainability.

Through their submissions, learners proposed creative solutions to pressing issues such as waste management, forest restoration, and clean energy innovation. Pollution and deforestation were among the most commonly cited environmental challenges.

Susan Lenoir, one of the 2024 winners from St Mary’s Girls Primary School in Narok County, praised the platform for giving young people an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to national issues.

“This competition gives us a chance to highlight the challenges we face as a country and to suggest practical solutions,” she said.

Entries for the annual competition are evaluated by a panel of education and conservation experts, including specialists in special needs education.