By Francine Black, Staff ReporterTHE JAMAICA Environmental Trust's (JET), Schools Environmental Programme (SEP) is in danger of being discontinued because of a lack of funds.
The seven-year-old programme is the largest of its kind and involves 353 primary and high schools islandwide.
Diana McCaulay, chief executive officer of JET said the organisation was currently exploring a number of options to keep the programme going.
"We are in negotiation with EFJ (Environmental Foundation of Jamaica) and ENACT (Environmental Action Programme) to see if we could get a grant and we have been asking other private sector groups if they could provide the support," Mrs. McCaulay said.
The programme currently operates in conjunction with 14 other non-profit organisations using a hands on approach. It reaches some 250,000 students.
FUNDING AGENCIES
The major funding agencies- EFJ, ENACT, the British High Commission and The Canada Green Fund, have been providing grant money each year to meet the $12-15 million it costs to keep the programme going.
In addition to possibly losing the programme because of the expiration of the grant funding later this year, most of the JET staff could become unemployed if the programme is discontinued. Seven members of JET's nine-member staff are employed directly to the programme.
The SEP is done on a competitive basis where schools compete throughout the school year in four categories - garbage management, greening of school grounds, starting and strengthening of environmental clubs and an environmental research project.
The programme has been designed to allow teachers to fulfil curriculum requirements while teaching SEP. A teacher manual to guide the teaching of SEP topics was developed by JET and is approved by the Ministry of Education.
