When schools and colleges across the State celebrated Onam on campuses in colourful ways on Friday, a government lower primary school in a Malappuram village stood out by making the celebrations symbolic and enlightening.
Teachers, students, and parents of Government Lower Primary School, Pukayur, in A.R. Nagar grama panchayat near Vengara celebrated Onam by making a pookkalam with plastic bottles.
Inaugurating the celebrations, headmistress P. Sheeja said they wanted to send home a larger message through the celebrations. “We found that the pookkalam made with plastic bottles would educate children and parents about the increasing use of plastic in a much better manner than usual awareness drives,” she said.
The children collected bottles from their homes and neighbourhoods for the flower carpet. They will hand over the bottles for recycling. “The project is largely to educate children about the importance of plastic recycling,” said Ms. Sheeja.
The children will continue to collect and bring plastic bottles to the school for recycling. The school’s smart energy club supervised the Onam celebrations.
