Introduction

Solid waste and garbage in Siem Reap Province are managed relatively well. However, some areas in the province still face the problems of unsuitable garbage disposal (e.g. huge pile of garbage along the street or closed to residential area due to a lack of relevant facilities and insufficient roads to collect garbage, and the other reasons)

Public involvement is a key ‘tool’ to success in solid waste and/or garbage management. JICA mission office in Siem Reap Province in 2005 provided technical support via the practical project called “School Recycling” in cooperation with the Environmental Department of Siem Reap Province and relevant stakeholders. This project focused on the dissemination of garbage management method in schools with major activities of: (i) waste recycling; (ii) school gardening; and (iii) handing out of environmental brochure/leaflet to stakeholders.

Programme Background

The objectives of 2005 School Recycling Program aimed at increasing awareness of (i) pupils/students, teachers and student parents; and (ii) cleaning selected schools and town.

The programme was supported by JICA. The programme was implemented by the staff at the Environmental Department of Siem Reap Province, JICA study team, JICA volunteers, and the directors of primary schools. The participants for this project were primary school pupils, school teachers and their parents.

The selected operation sites for programme: Wat Bor Primary School; Wat Svay Primary School; Por Langkar Primary School; Preah En Korsey Primary School; Kesara Ram Primary School; Hun Sen Krous Primary School; Muk Neak Primary School; Por Banteay Chey Primary School; and Teaching Professional School.

Expected Outputs

Expected outputs of the programme include: (i) a proper educational programme on garbage management among primary schools and other schools; (ii) primary schools to have sufficient self-capability of management for solid wastes/garbage; (iii) proper performance to other schools; and (iv) transferring the environmentally sound management of solid wastes/garbage through pupils to their parents and communities.

Work Plan and Activities

The School Recycling Program is divided into three phases. The first phase is “the arrangement of solid waste/garbage recycling”. This phase was separated into two steps. The first step has started in selected three schools since earlier January 2005. The implementers of these steps were the staff at the Provincial Environmental Department of Siem Reap and Japanese volunteers. During the first step, many cases were conducted: (i) the meeting with 16 school directors; (ii) capacity building for teachers at 37 schools; and (iii) implementation activities.

The second phase has been implemented since June 2005 to expand the School Recycling Program to six other schools by JICA Study Team, JICA volunteers, and the staff responsible at the Environmental Department of Siem Reap Province. The major activities were as: (a) meeting with nine school directors; (b) educational dissemination in six schools; (c) meeting with parents of school pupils; and other programme activities. School garden preparation was also conducted in the Second phase. Under JICA support, the preparation of school gardens was undertaken in the selected schools.

In the third phase, relevant environmental brochures were distributed to 90 teachers in 40 primary schools during November 2005.

The teachers and pupils actively participated in the programme, and as a result, most primary schools were cleaner than they were in the past. Through the pupil education programme, their parents and communities will become more aware. Hopefully, the solid waste/garbage management situation will improve in the coming year.

Sources:

1) Mr. Poung Lina, Vice Chief of Environmental Pollution Control and Environmental Information Office; Provincial Environmental Department of Siem Reap Province
2) JICA Project and Report on the arrangement of solid waste/garbage recycling in Siem Reap Province, 2005.

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