The Department of School Education, Punjab, has decided to develop a supplementary sanitation curriculum for schools across the state. The initiative is in compliance with the New Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, and directions of the Supreme Court to incorporate waste management into school learning.
School Education Administrative Secretary Sonali Giri said the new courses had been added to the curriculum. “The department is working on age-appropriate modules that will help students understand the importance of sanitation, waste management and environmental conservation through practical learning,” she said.
The move is expected to be a significant step towards promoting cleanliness and environmental awareness among children.
The development comes after Col Jasjit Singh Gill (retired), who had advocated inclusion of cleanliness and hygiene education in schools to inculcate responsible habits among children from an early age.
According to the department, the supplementary curriculum will focus on solid waste management and source segregation. It will be based on experiential learning, competency-based education and activity-oriented teaching methods. Students will be encouraged to participate in waste segregation exercises, composting demonstrations, cleanliness drives, waste audits and community engagement activities.
Officials said the programme was aimed at moving beyond theoretical knowledge and developing practical skills, values and responsible behaviour among students.
The curriculum is expected to serve as a precursor to the gradual integration of sanitation and waste management concepts into the regular school syllabus in the coming years.
Academics welcomed the initiative, saying schools played a crucial role in shaping lifelong habits. According to them, students can become ambassadors of cleanliness and environmental responsibility within their families and communities by learning such concepts at a young age.
Officials said the department believed the initiative would strengthen environmental awareness among children, promote responsible sanitation practices and contribute to cleaner and healthier surroundings.
With growing concerns over waste generation and environmental degradation, the move is being seen as an important step towards building a more sustainable future while empowering students to become active participants in maintaining a clean environment.
