The country’s target of growing 15 billion trees in ten years is achievable through a multi-sectoral approach.
The Ministry of Education will lead the implementation of its tree growing and seedling propagation action plan due to its significant land and human resource capacity.
Speaking during a ministerial meeting, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu plans to collaborate with Environment, Climate-Change and Forestry counterpart Soipan Tuya, as they are key sectors in policy implementation and implementation.
“Institutions of learning form the greatest potential the country has to achieve and surpass the 30 percent tree cover by 2032,” said Machogu noting that the Ministry of Education has developed a digital module platform leveraging on National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) for tracking numbers, progress, accountability, transparency and authenticity in the tree growing program.
The ministry is promoting sensitization to increase awareness about tree growing as a cultural practice linked to character formation and development in educational institutions. Hence, Advocacy will be intensified at institutional levels by education stakeholders and tree growing champions, who will be recognized based on performance before and during rain seasons.
The Ministry of Education prides itself in numbers which informed the attainment of its target of 200 Million trees annually culminating to over five billion trees in ten years which is a third of the national target of 15 billion.
For Instance, the current Primary school learner’s population in Kenya is 8,200,000 where the ministry projects each learner to grow four trees in a year totaling 32,800,000 trees. Whereas, Primary school teacher’s population stands at 218,000 with each teacher growing 30 trees as suggested by the head of public service which total to 6,540,000 trees.
While, Secondary school learner’s population counts to 3,600,000 with each learner expected to grow four trees per year which total 14,400,000 trees. Thus, Secondary school teacher’s population according to NEMIS system counts to 113,000 where each teacher plants 30 trees per year adding to a total of 3,390,000 trees.
Although, the figures are not inclusive of tertiary institutions and education officials which gives a promising strategy to propagate tree seedlings and grow trees as a ministry with the CS confirming it is possible to surpass target for tree growing and seedlings propagation with him and his leadership team in education setting the example.
By Joseph Kamolo Mutua
