By Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: Single-use plastic waste was successfully reduced by 55.41 percent over two years through the Phase III Perak Green School Programme (Series 2), surpassing its initial target of 50 per cent.
The achievement involved 103 secondary schools across 11 districts in Perak, with the programme running from March 2025 to February 2027.
More significantly, the initiative also contributed to an estimated reduction of 271,035.62 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO₂e), or 271.04 tonnes of CO₂e, in carbon emissions.
The programme also recorded an environmental sustainability knowledge level of 80.16 percent based on its assessment.
Its implementation involved 206 teachers serving as Green School Commanders and 1,854 students as Green School Agents, who spearheaded campaigns to reduce plastic consumption, improve waste management, promote recycling and introduce green innovations in their respective schools.
Meanwhile, SMK St Bernadette’s Convent emerged as the overall champion of the Perak State Green School Awards held at MH Hotel Ipoh yesterday.
Maahad Islahiah Addiniah secured second place, followed by SMK Buntong in third place, SMK Tun Saban in fourth and SMK Panglima Bukit Gantang in fifth.
The programme, themed “Towards Zero Single-use Plastic Consumption Among School Communities”, is an initiative by the Malaysian Green Technology Foundation (Yayasan Hijau Malaysia) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES).
It is implemented in collaboration with the Perak State Education Department (JPN Perak), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and other partners, with support from Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance.
Among the approaches adopted were awareness campaigns, environmental initiatives, efforts to reduce single-use plastic consumption and innovation projects encouraging active participation among teachers and students.
The assessment also took into account programme reporting, promotional activities, plastic reduction achievements, sustainability knowledge levels and students’ creativity through project-based activities and innovations.
The achievement supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13 on Climate Action.
It is also aligned with the Environmental Sustainability and Biodiversity agenda under Perak Sejahtera 2030.
The ceremony was attended by NRES Environmental Management Division secretary Dr G. Pubadi; USM Centre for Education and Training in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Green Technology (CETREE) coordinator and Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) associate professor Dr Mohd Wira Mohd Shafiei, as well as representatives from YHM, JPN Perak and Yayasan Hasanah.
