Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) students recently organised a university social responsibility programme for primary students focussing on green activities. It involved 176 students and 16 teachers from Sekolah Kebangsaan Ayer Denak Tronoh and SRJK (C) Kampung Nalla Tronoh
With the theme ‘Sustainable Recycling Systems in Primary Schools’, the programme, held in collaboration with Global Environment Centre (GEC) Malaysia and Tzu Chi Bercham Recycling Centre, aimed to educate primary students on the importance of solid waste management for a sustainable future.
Over the two days, UTP EPIC team, which comprised students from Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Computer Engineering programmes, taught students to incorporate green practices in their lives and create awareness on protecting the environment through recycling competitions, recycling craft activities and solid waste management to promote the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) concepts.
There was also a workshop by GEC Malaysia’s representatives to raise awareness on municipal solid waste management.
The project was under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr Anita Ramli (UTP Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department) and Muhammad Azfar Mohamed (UTP Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Division). Meanwhile, Weeli Office Storage Sdn Bhd, OpenSys Technologies Sdn Bhd, ZR Printing, Yayasan UTP and UTP Centre for Student Development were the programme’s sponsors.
“The programme benefits the students as it gives them more information on how to manage, sort and convert wastes into valuable and useful products, such as green compost,” said SK Ayer Denak’s teacher Punitha Chelladurai.
Meanwhile, Norazni Daud, a teacher from SJK (C) Kampung Nalla said, “Students can also extend the knowledge obtained from this programme to their family and friends on social media platforms for the benefits of the community.”
The programme was part of the General Studies or Mata Pelajaran Umum (MPU) national requirement prescribed by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The course is designed to ensure that students acquire some basic elements to be applied in a community engagement project (CEP) to support students' development. The social and value emphasis on this community-based project is in line with UTP's mission to produce well-rounded graduates with a broad-minded, balanced and holistic view. The programme also supports the university’s social responsibility pillar, which is environment.
As a higher learning institution, UTP plays an important role to contribute to the sustainability of its communities through education and research. This aligns with the university’s aspiration to reach sustainable global prominence and PETRONAS’ energy transition initiatives to move towards Net Zero Carbon Emission (NZCE).
