Environmental research

NO CASH CO-FINANCING The Bajothang Higher Secondary School intends to create greater awareness on the concerns of climate change through organized exhibitions, demonstrations, practically raising plants and recording the weather types. With the availability of the weather station, the students taking up geography could be receiving first hand experiences in handling weather station equipments, maintain records and carry out further research on climate studies and in turn organize demonstrations and exhibitions to fellow students and to the local community members. This will encourage students to practically learn their subjects and apply the knowledge to their daily experiences. The school currently has 519 students including 275 boys and 244 girls. The class ranges from IX to XII and offers Science, Commerce, Arts to Class XI and XII. There are 28 teachers including 7 ladies and 5 expatriates` teachers. The school has teacher trained for the Nature Club and School Agriculture Programmes. Objective: 1. Create awareness on climate change through exhibition to students and community; 2. Study the effect of climate on the growth of plants; 3. Teach the skills of nursery raising; 4. Promote horticulture practices; 5. Commercial purpose to raise fund for the school; 6. Raise ornamental, fruit and other kinds of plants; 7. Teach the skills of vegetative propagation; 8. Study the kind of soil required of the growth of plants; 9. Study varieties of plants. Weather Station: 1. Record daily weather conditions and read it to the students during morning assembly; 2. Disseminate local weather information to community through local televisions; 3. Study local weather conditions and climate change; 4. Prepare weather report monthly and annually; 5. Exhibit the weather report during an exhibition to the students and local community; 6. Prepare statistical report on weather; 7. Use as teaching material especially for geography. Activities: 1. Preparation for the awareness campaign on Climate Change ; 2. Exhibition on Climate Change; 3. Select the site for weather station; 4. Approval of site; 5. Acquiring the instruments for weather station; 6. Preparing the site for installing the instrument; 7. Installation of instruments; 8. Reading and recording of daily weather conditions; 9. Monitoring and maintenance of the weather station; 10. Compiling and writing reports on it. Green House Activities: 1. Select the site for green house; 2. Acquiring the materials for green house; 3. Preparing the site for construction of green house; 4. Installation of green house; 5. Acquiring of seeds, poly pots; 6. Sowing of seeds; 7. Monitoring and maintenance of the green house Most of the above project activities have been completed. According to the school, they were proud to implement the project and was an educative program to the students, especially on the hands-on study that they actually have to practice upon. Classes 9-12th standards are involved in the project. The weather station installation was completed by July 2009 and the students began their recordings by August 2009. The weekly record of the weather temperature and rainfall, wind speed and sunshine is updated in the morning assembly every Saturday. Initially, a lot of orientation of the weather station was required and reading was also difficult and confusing. Overall, the project`s output was good.

Bhutan