Indian eco-school charges pupils plastic waste ‘fee’ to attend

Until last year, pupils could attend the school outside Dispur in the northeastern state of Assam for free

It decided to introduce the plastic ‘fee’ after a plea to parents to join a recycling scheme fell on deaf ears

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Indian pupils carrying waste plastic to submit as school ‘fees’ at the Akshar Forum school in Pamohi on the outskirts of Guwahati. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:45pm, 5 Jun 2019Updated: 11:37am, 6 Jun 2019

A school in northeast India has taken a novel approach to addressing the scourge of plastic waste by making its collection a condition of free attendance.

Every week the 110 pupils at the Akshar Forum school outside Dispur in Assam state must bring up to 20 items of plastic gathered from their homes and the local area.

“The use of plastics is rampant across Assam,” said Parmita Sarma, who set up the project together with her husband Mazin Mukhtar, originally from New York.

Until last year schooling was completely without charge, but the school decided to introduce the plastic “fee” after a plea to parents to take part in a recycling scheme fell on deaf ears, Mukhtar said.

Pupils with the plastic waste they have gathered at the Akshar Forum school in Pamohi. Photo: AFP

“We tell (the parents) to send the plastics to the school as fees if you want your children to study here for free.”

In addition, the parents have to make a “pledge” not to burn plastics, said Sarma.

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