The Environmental Pioneer Program is the broad environmental network that is being implemented within the school system in this country, by the Central Environmental Authority, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, to achieve the noble objective of socialization of future Sri Lankan citizens as environmental friends. This program, which was launched in 1984 with a small group of 25 students focusing new town of Maligawaththa, Colombo, has now become a program which is being implemented in most of the schools within the island.
The grand annual festivity of the National Environmental Pioneer Program, which is being implemented within the school system, will be held on 21st, 22nd and 23rd of September, 2016, at the premises of the National College of Education at Peradeniya. About 400 program activist, including 300 environmental pioneers who have displayed high skills within the Environmental Pioneer Program, will take part in this.
Under the guidance of H/E the President Maithripala Sirisena, Hon. Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, this national program will inaugurate. With the Precedence of Hon. Anuradha Jayarathna, the Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, will inaugurate this ceremony at 8.00 a.m. on 22nd September, 2016. Hon. Niluka Ekanayaka, Governor of the Central Province, Hon. Sarath Ekanayaka, Chief Minister of the Central Province will participate as special invitees.
Large number of guests, including Mr. Udaya R. Senevirathna, Secretary, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Mr. Sunil Hettiarachchi, Secretary, Ministry of Education, and divisional chief administrative officers and Professor Lal Mervin Dharmasiri, Chairman, Central Environment Authority, Mr. K. H. Muthukudaarachchi, Director General, Central Environment Authority, Mr. M. J. J. Fernando, Deputy Director General, Environmental Education and Awareness Division, Central Environment Authority.
An environmental pioneer, who marches to safeguard the Sri Lankan environment through the National Environmental Pioneer Program under the theme “Environment Protects Us – Let Us Protect the Environment”, should go through a process of securing 5 medals by way of getting engaged in a number of environmentally related activities. For this, about 300 environmental pioneers from 58 schools covering the entire island and who have displayed special skills,will take part. This three-day camp can be identified as a special environmental activity where a large number of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students participate with the common objective of the conservation of the environment.
The Environmental Pioneer Camp Program was launched in 1998 at the Wildlife Training Institute, Randenigala and is to be conducted for the 12thoccasion. This program is organized by the Environmental Education and Awareness Division, Central Environment Authority, providing an opportunity to undergo the practical experience for a full 04 days, related to the theoretical knowledge on the environment that environmental pioneers acquire in the school.
At this environment camp, participants will get opportunities to get absorbed in expert lectures, exhibition of environment friendly creations, environmentally related cultural events, Environment Parliament and also in environmental explorations such as in the Mahaweli River where there are islands, brass producing village, Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, the research center of the Department of Agriculture at Gannoruva and the museum. In addition to above, trainees of science faculties at Mirigama, Hapitigama and Jaffna will make character performing exercises titled “Public Judgment of the Manel Island”.
Professor Lal Mervin Dharmasiri, the Chairman, Central Environment Authority, expressing his views said that, during a period in which number of environmental programs are being organized with the objective of forming a “Blue-Green Era”, this type of programs will be a great support to inherit a beautiful country to the future through socializing future Sri Lankan citizens environmental friendly.
