'Coral Reef Camp' For Awareness of Malaysia's Marine Parks

Melati Mohd Ariff, Bernama 31 Dec 08;

PULAU TIOMAN, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Its curtains down for phase one of the Coral Reef Camp, an awareness campaign on the need to conserve the nation's marine parks jointly held by the Marine Parks Department (DMPM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Marine Park Project and Reef Check Malaysia.

The final of the three camps scheduled for 2008 was held last November with the participation of 23 students and 12 teachers from Sekolah Kebangsaan Juara and Sekolah Kebangsaan Mukut of Pulau Tioman, Pahang.

The students were from Mukut and Juara villages located on the island's south and east respectively.

The 3-day camp was held at DMPM's Marine Park Centre located on the west coast of Tioman.

The first of such camps was held with the participation of 20 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Tekek in Pulau Tioman in May this year.

The subsequent camp was held in July 2008 with participation of 118 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Sibu (34 students) and Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Tinggi (24 students), both in Johor; Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Redang (20) and Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Perhentian (20), both in Terengganu and Sekolah kebangsaan Kg Tekek, Tioman (20).

According to Communications Officer for UNDP's Marine Park Project, Chua Hooi Dean, the phase two of the Coral Reef Camp would be held between April and August in 2009.

The 2009 programmes, she added would focus on Year 5 students as opposed to 2008's programmes which saw the participation of students from Year 4, 5 and 6.

"The Phase Two camps would be more in-depth and improvisation has been made to suit the level of understanding and age group of the participants.

"Besides the camps, follow-up activities such as beach clean-up, talks and site visits would be planned for the selected students", Chua told Bernama.

Chua said the findings from the outcome of Phase Two would be used for planning Phase Three Camp in 2010.

ENHANCE AWARENESS

The objective of the entire Coral Reef Camp programme is to create and enhance awareness among island children on the importance of conserving marine biodiversity for a more sustained livelihood in the future.

According to Chua, the programme essentially targets school children of the marine park islands who would one day be heir to the homeland.

"The Phase One programme was held with much success, coupled with encouragement from the schools and local communities.

"This is due not only to the education received by the children but also that by the adults, parents and teachers on the importance of concerving marine biodiversity", Chua said.

She said have indirectly gained facilitation skills through all the programmes held.

The Marine Parks Project would continue to work towards enhancing the locals' understanding and knowledge on protecting the nation's marine heritage for a sustainable future.

INFORMATIVE AND INVALUABLE KNOWLEDGE

Headmaster of Sekolah Kebangsaan Mukut, Rahim Johari described the Coral Reef Camp as highly beneficial as it provided first hand information on the conservation of marine life.

In his closing speech, he also said the programme served as a platform to united students from all the three schools of Tioman.

The headmaster of Sekolah Kebangsaan Juara, Abdul Rahman Mat Yunus commented: "I am very thankful to the organisers who have successfully organised this Camp which is I think of paramount importance to the students".

Meanwhile, one of the teachers that took part in the camp, Barkorie Abdullah said the knowledge imparted was invaluable.

"Besides the exposure, we learnt more in-depth knowledge on our national heritage namely the coral reefs which definitely must be conserved for the future", said the teacher who teaches at Sekolah Kebangsaan Juara.

FULL OF EXCITEMENT

As for the school children, the three-day Coral Reef Camp was filled with fun learning.

Excitement for the participants started from the onset of the camp. The 12 students from Kampung Mukut, travelled to the Marine Park Centre by fishermen's boats that took about two hours.

The other 11 children from Kampung Juara were driven in two 4WD vehicles through a newly-constructed road that cut across the hill and the ride took about 30 minutes. The school children were from Years 4, 5 and 6.

The participants for this final Camp enjoyed real camping experience where they pitched their own tents in the compound of the Marine Park Centre.

The camp's module began with an ice-breaking game for the students to allow the students to get to know each other. They were also briefed on the camp's objective and regulations before they were divided into three groups.

Activities at the camp include the talk on the basics of coral reefs, the do's and dont's in the marine parks, animal food chain and the basics of survival where the children were taken for some snorkeling exercise.

"This camp has made me aware of my responsibility to protect and love our marine heritage. I had a lot of fun learning with all my friends at the camp", said Mohd Shazwan, a standard six pupil from Sekolah Kebangsaan Mukut.

"I learnt that corals are half plants and half animals but they are dependent on a kind of algae called zooxanthellae. It was exciting to act as a Marine Park Officer. I will definitely take care of the corals so they would not be damaged", said a standard five pupil from Sekolah Kebangsaan Juara, Rasdatun Aisyah Rabidi.

The Coral Reef Camp programme has indeed achieved its key objective of educating and instilling the importance of protecting the nation's marine heritage among the islands' school children.

The children are the nation's future and in them we must inculcate good habits and deeds, remember the Malay proverb, "Kalau melentur buluh biarlah dari rebung (to bend the bamboo, it should be from its shoot)".

-- BERNAMA