On August 20th, 2024, Water Watch Penang (WWP) successfully conducted the “Negalitres for Schools” River and Water Education Program at SK Seri Indah. A total of 141 students from Standard 5 and Standard 6 and 12 teachers, including a Teacher Coordinator, Cikgu Syaharizan, attended this program from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
With assistance from USM interns Ms. Nurul Husna, Ms. Khor Ci Shan, and Ms. Nurul Fatin Amira, the Education Officers of Water Watch Penang (WWP), Ms. Fatin Azahara and Ms. Nur Atiqah, began the program by summarising the history, activities, and objective of the organisation. Ms. Nur Atiqah gave the students an overview of the global water issue during the first period, concentrating on the difficulties African nations have in getting clean water. The topic of local and national water issues was then brought up, with a focus on Penang in particular. Ms. Fatin Azahara discussed the biological assessment in the second slot. This assessment involves capturing and releasing macroinvertebrates, which are important markers of the ecological health of the river.
Throughout the lesson, quizzes were given out, and students who responded properly were given water bottle from Water Watch Penang as an appreciation. To help kids understand water conservation, Ms. Fatin Azahara also highlighted a few water-saving methods that may be applied at home and in the classroom. A method that is covered involves setting up an automatic push tap in the school as a part of the ‘Negalitres for Schools Programme’. This tap saves water by shutting off on its own a few seconds after usage.
At the end of the programme, the head teacher of SK Seri Indah gives a certificate of appreciation to Ms. Fatin Azahara representing Water Watch Penang as an appreciation to WWP for introducing the programme to them.
‘Negalitres for Schools,’ launched on 22 March 2022, was coordinated by WWP in partnership with Intel Corporation, CLEAN International, and in collaboration with Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) and PBAPP. This project is fully funded by CLEAN International Inc. and Intel Corporation and is also supported by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Penang State Education Department. The local partners involved are the Penang State Government through the Penang Green Council, PBAPP, and the Green Educators Workgroup (GREW).
For more information, please contact WWP Executive Manager, Dr. Hong Chern Wern, at hong.wwp@gmail.com or contact WWP at +6019-5751253.