Perkhemahan Kelab Pencinta Alam Sekolah Rendah Peringkat Kebangsaan 2008

               An annual camp specially scheduled for the primary school Nature Clubs members from all over Malaysia had been conducted at Kem Rehlah, Pantai Bisikan Bayu, Semerak, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

               Sponsored by CommunityLink, CIMB Group, this programme started on 31 October and ended on 2 November 2008. My wife joined the programme as Nature Club teacher advisor of the SBT Tuition Centre located at Paka, Dungun.   During this programme, I gave a talk on 'Marine Ecosystem'. Beside that, I also acted as one of the facilitator. My x-students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Jengal, with guidance from En. Mohd Nor Azizi Kamaruddin, made a presentation on 'Sea turtles'. This was the first experience for them to present in front of other people outside their school. Thanks to Education Department, Malaysian Nature Society for giving them the opportunities to do so.

                Among the activities conducted during the programme were ice breaking,  jungle trekking on Bukit Peraksi (a place where the 'new moon' is observed in order to know the starting date of fasting month and Aid Fitr), mangrove exploring, nature games, nature craft, beach clean-up, astronomy and a visit to fish cracker factory. 

Kem Kesedaran Alam Sekitar (KeKAS) Terengganu 2008

                   This 3 days 2 nights nature camp had been organized by the Department of Environment Terengganu and the Terengganu Centre of Science and Creativity with the support of Terengganu State Government. I had been asked to run the programme and to do so, I received a full commitment from my colleague, En. Ahmad Salihin Bin Mat Saat and En. Muhammad Bin Ibrahim of the Curriculum Development Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia. My wife, Pn. Suzani Binti Hj. Husin also gave her hands to make the programme success. I also like to thanks Dr. Mohd Zaki Bin Mohd Said of the Terengganu Centre of Science and Creativity, together with his  four officers, lead by En. Raduan Bin Sulong for their full support. Last but not least, thanks to the officers from Department of Environment Terengganu for the funding and certificates. 

                 The programme took place at Kem Seri Bari, near Penarek, Setiu, Terengganu from 25 to 27 October 2008. The participants were from Setiu, Kuala Terengganu and one from Kuantan, making them 40 pax altogether. Almost 98% of them are 12 years old as this programme was conducted as a pasca UPSR examination programme.

                 The theme for this programme was related to marine environment, concurrent with the 2008  Year of Coral Reef and the Environment  Week. Therefore, most of the topic discussed in this programme were about coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass bed and beach ecosystem. In addition to these topics, painted terrapin, river terrapin and sea turtles conservation, and the tropical rainforest ecosystem also being discussed.

                 The participants had been brought to visit mangrove forests at Kampung Mangkok, Gong Batu and Kampung Fikri. A mangrove seeds planting session also being done at Kampung Fikri mangrove area. Several other activities conducted during the programme were nature craft, nature hunt, physical exercises, presentations by the participants and BBQ. Another activity conducted during this programme was a presentation by a lecturer from University Darul Iman Malaysia on astronomy. However, due to bad weather, star observation activity  by using a telescope had been cancelled  and replaced by observing a fan!

                The programme was officially closed by the officer from the Department of Environment Terengganu.