Mrs Jane Sabina Obeng, a Former Upper East Regional Director of Education, has charged students to be ambassadors of environmental protection, which is key to the survival of the next generation.

She said: “When the last tree dies, the last human dies,” and charged the pupils to embark on massive tree growing in their homes, schools, and communities to preserve the environment.

Mrs Obeng said this at the closing ceremony of the Seventh Upper East Regional Science, Technology, Mathematics and Innovation Education (STMIE) Camp in Bolgatanga.

The 217 junior high students, drawn from eight municipal and district assemblies in the Region, participated in the programme on the theme: “Science, Technology, Mathematics and Innovation Education: Equipping the Youth to Face Challenges of the Environment Due to Climate Change.”

Mrs Obeng observed that some students in some districts abandoned classes and were actively degrading the environment through illegal mining, popularly called ‘galamsey’ in their quest for quick money.

She urged them to rather educate their community members against indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal and other purposes.

She noted that open defecation, which posed serious health problems to the communities, was common among students and pupils in the Region even though lavatories were provided and urged them to desist from the act.

Mrs Obeng encouraged the pupils to use Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) to prevent mosquitoes from biting them at night and avoid getting malaria.

Ms Faustina Agetara, the Regional STMIE Coordinator, said the programme had a singular objective of capturing young minds and helping them to project well into the future.

Ms Agetara said since 2010, the Regional STMIE had groomed about 450 junior high school students and expressed the joy that many females were now pursuing courses in science and technology with support from Action Aid Ghana, World Vision International, Plan International, Care Ghana and Camfed Ghana.

Mr Rockson Ayine Bukari, the Upper East Regional Minister, said science and technology education were very important in producing future innovations and innovators.

The students exhibited various art works which were inspected by the stakeholders at the function.