By Neo Kolane
The Citizen Science Monitoring Programme run by the Orange Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) in partnership with the ministry of natural resources and the department of water has officially come to an end.
The six-months pilot project saw 10 primary schools monitoring and collecting data on the quantity and quality of water along the Mohokare River.
Students were taught how to monitor the health of rivers using aquatic macroinvertebrates as indicators.
Pupils from Bolikela LEC primary said they learnt that used pampers should not been thrown in rivers as that causes pollution and endangers the lives of animals that drink from there.
They also learnt that people should desist from crossing flooded rivers as that puts their lives at risk.
In her remarks during a workshop at Thaba Bosiu yesterday to officially close the programme, the department of water affairs water quality officer and pilot project coordinator, Nthati Toae, said the ministries of natural resources and that of education and training would sign an agreement for this programme to be part of the primary school curriculum.
“We want pupils to enjoy the project so that the ministry of education and training buys into the idea,” Toae noted.
