While a half of the population is spreading awareness about the environmental issues, other half is relaxing and enjoying its benefits. Well, things are likely to change now, particularly for students.
The forest department of Karnataka has recently proposed an idea to sensitize school students about their environment and help them score good marks in their board examinations simply by planting a sapling and taking good care of it.
According to a report by Bangalore Mirror, students in government schools may get 10 marks added to their Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board(KSEEB) total, if the plan works out between the committee and the Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology. The proposal may be submitted to the Department of Primary and Secondary Education.
R Shankar, Minister, Forest, Ecology and Environment said, “Considering the increasing level of pollution and decrease in the number of trees, we have taken a decision to encourage young minds to grow trees.”
Implementing the idea-
Students of the 8th standard will be given 10 saplings each by the forest department in case the plan works. For these two years, they have to take care of these plants, till they appear for their class 10 Board exams.
There is no limitation regarding space, the students can plant it in their home, at the roadside or in the school premises.
Every six months, the officials from the forest department will evaluate the growth of these plants. To earn marks, they have to take good care of them as each one of them will carry one mark. Plant saplings of mango, guava, neem, jackfruit and other trees are on the list as they can be easily grown.
If everything goes according to the plan and the idea is accepted, the forest department will urge KSEEB to issue a certificate to the student appearing for boards with a printed photograph of their plants.
To inculcate a sense of responsibility from an early age, the authorities are going by the adage ‘Catch Them young’ so that the earth becomes cleaner and greener in the future.