Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Bitok has instructed all public and private primary schools to take part in nationwide tree planting activities this Friday, October 10, as part of the Mazingira Day celebrations.
The initiative, he said, is aimed at nurturing environmental responsibility among young learners while contributing to the government’s broader target of increasing tree cover across the country.
Speaking on Thursday, Bitok explained that this year’s Mazingira Day will focus on fruit tree planting, with each school expected to establish at least 2,000 fruit trees within their compounds.
“The goal is not only to conserve the environment but also to promote nutrition through school-based fruit orchards,” he said.
According to the directive, all learners and teachers will report to school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take part in the exercise under the supervision of their head teachers. Bitok also encouraged former students and local community members to join in the activities, describing the event as a collective effort to restore and sustain Kenya’s environment.
Regional, county, and sub-county directors of education have been instructed to oversee the exercise and ensure its successful implementation nationwide.
The directive aligns with a similar call from Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, who earlier urged Kenyans to participate in Friday’s tree planting exercise.
Speaking on NTV, Barasa announced that the entire month of October will be dedicated to planting fruit trees across the country. She reaffirmed that her ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is committed to achieving the national goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2030.
