Under activities for CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) 2018, six primary schools were selected by the Regional Educational Office to attend the Guyana Energy Agency’s (GEA) ‘Express Your Energy’ activity which was held in the auditorium of Cotton Field Secondary School Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

The event, which was held on Friday, jump-started GEA’s energy conservation activities and attracted sixty students of grades five and six. The students hailed from: 8th of May Primary School, Sparta Primary, CV Nunes Primary, Taymouth Manor Primary, Queenstown Primary and Suddie Primary.

The high energy and exuberance with which the students and their teachers, who joined in to support their pupils, conveyed their interpretation and knowledge of energy sources, sustainability, energy conservation and energy efficiency through artwork/pictorial illustrations, word search and conservation tips caused a few spectators to flock the windows of the venue.

According to Public Communications Officer Taiwo Williams, from its conception in 2012, the activity has targeted Primary School Students and was hosted this year by the GEA, in collaboration with the Hinterland Electrification Company (HECI) through the IDB funded Public Awareness Project -” Promoting the Benefits of Renewable Energy Technologies and the Rational Use of Energy”.

Shondelle Hercules, District Education Officer Primary, who gave remarks on behalf the Regional Education Officer Ag Miss Nicola Matthews, expressed thanks to GEA and for hosting the activity in Region 2. She said that, “our office appreciate this timely initiative which was educational and presented in a fun format which both students and teachers enjoyed…The activities that were done can be integrated into our school’s curriculum….”.

Primary Officer Netram Doobay said that “…the activity, even though it focused on energy, demonstrated extensive curriculum integration as the tasks the students had to complete exposed them to Social Studies, Grammar, Science, Art and would even aid them in composition writing…”.

He too expressed sentiments of thanks to the GEA and HECI for remembering Region 2 and choosing to have their students benefit from the exercise.
The activity was a non-competitive one, therefore students were not judged or ranked based on their illustrations.

Rather, each student (and teacher) was awarded tokens of appreciation as an honorary ‘Energy Champion’. The energy themed tasks pupils completed were word searches, listing of energy conservation measures and using art to depict renewable energy sources.
One of the activities planned by GEA to commemorate CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) 2018, the main aim of ‘Express your Energy’ is to tap into the creativity of future energy champions, children, by allowing them to express their view and perspectives on energy related matters in a non-competitive environment.

In keeping with the promotion of sustainable energy development, CARICOM Energy Month 2018 (November 1-30) is being celebrated under the theme “Clean Energy, Good Governance and Regulation: Generating Growth and Resilience”.

The GEA in the exercise of its mandate, continues to promote energy efficiency, energy conservation and the development and utilisation of alternative sources of energy consistent with Guyana’s energy thrust and Green State Development Strategy, serves as an annual feature in fulfilling part of the mandate of the GEA by disseminating information essential to improving public awareness on sustainable energy, conservation and overall energy efficiency.