Daily anti-littering lessons to be taught in schools

LAHORE: Chief Minister of Punjab and the provincial Education Minister have given their nod to a proposal, first floated by a citizen on social media platform X, that seeks to inculcate cleanliness habits in students.

Teachers all over Punjab will now remind students daily not to litter or drop wrappers on the road, within schools, or even at home.

Children will instead be asked to use dustbins all the time. When there are no bins around, the students will be told to carry an extra shopping bag with them to put wrappers or trash in until they can dispose of the same.

Class instructors will also be directed to remind students of this after each lesson, while school management will be held accountable to ensure campuses are totally litter-free.

The proponents of the initiative are confident that the action will trigger a province-wide campaign for improved civic manners. “If children hear this message every day, they will bring it home with them and make their families listen to it. That is how genuine change starts,” the proponent of the proposal explained.

He also proposed that these small steps can ultimately lead to embracing other positive social norms prevalent in developed nations, including not littering on streets, not speaking loudly in public transport, and turning off mobile phones on the train.

“This campaign involves no financial burden, only regularity,” he said, adding that CM Punjab’s simple instruction could be the beginning of a larger cultural transformation in society.