THERE is a need for students to learn and know about waste management, says a conservation organisation.
Live and Learn Fiji has been actively working with several schools throughout the country teaching students about waste management.
"We have seen and found out that waste management methods are not practiced widely in our schools.
"Students often just pick up rubbish and throw it in the bin without knowing much about it or about proper disposal," said Live and Learn field officer, Masikerei Vunicagi.
The non-governmental organisation has a waste audit program that allows the students to cross examine the waste, categorise it and learn the right way to dispose it.
"Students are first taken to the seashore to look at the different types of waste, then separate it in different categories like bottles, plastics, papers etc after which we teach them how to dispose it in the right way," said Mr Vunicagi.
He said it was found that most students were unaware about how to properly dispose different types of wastes.
"The main objective of this program is to enable the students to come up with a waste management plan, learn about proper disposal and avoid polluting the environment," said Mr Vunicagi.
He said just instructing the students to pick rubbish was a boring task but letting them know more about their actions becomes a long term benefit for all.
"The Waste audit program not only allows a student to analyse rubbish but it will also help them to locate rubbish spots and in this way there will be a clean look to the general environment," said Mr Vunicagi.
Live and Learn Fiji started with the program earlier this year and it is keen to cover as many schools as possible.
