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Encourage kids to share textbooks

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The Share-A-Textbook project has benefited many since it was started, and is a worthy scheme to support.

It promotes a greener Singapore, encourages thrift and helps relieve the financial burden of families by providing them with free textbooks. I have always been grateful that my children benefited from it.

However, it surprises me to meet families under the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) whose children receive a brand new set of textbooks each year, even if they are just a year or two apart in school.

And typically, after they are done with the textbooks, they throw them away. It is either too troublesome to take to the collection point at FairPrice supermarkets, or they are unaware of the project.

This is sad. Schools teach children about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle but do not show them it can be practised.

Schools could rope in volunteers or pupils - collect old textbooks before the school holidays and distribute them to these FAS families.

Schools can also arrange a learning journey for the children by, for instance, taking them to the nearest FairPrice to donate their textbooks.

This will help children learn about giving, empathy and thrift.

The whole objective of this project must be to teach children from a young age that it is our responsibility to save the earth. This is especially so for those who receive new books every year.

Schools must teach the children to not take the help given to them for granted.

I hope the authorities will make an effort to impart to all in schools, including principals, teachers and pupils, the need to do their part to save the earth.

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