The Guyana Power and Light Co. (GPL) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Wednesday launched a school programme and inter-schools debate contest aimed at increasing awareness about managing electricity in the home and in schools.

According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) release, the first part of the programme entails the dissemination of information to school children by distributing literature, through advertisements and hosting talks in schools. The competition involves debaters from secondary schools in all three counties. GPL would be submitting topics for discussion, based on climate change and the management of electricity/energy but the participating schools can also make suggestions.

Chief Executive Officer at GPL Bharat Dindyal said energy conservation starts with a change in people’s behaviour and attitudes. He said there are little things that persons can do to reduce energy consumption. Deputy CEO Aeshwar Deonarine said children are the company’s future customers and the education programme is aimed at teaching them proper energy management at an early age.

According to GINA, the IDB has been supporting GPL for a number of years in areas such as the Unserved Areas Electrification programme.

It has also provided solar panels to communities in the interior. IDB Chief of Operations Jose Manuel Ruiz said youths play an important role in this new programme, which he described as an excellent initiative for youths to learn various ways of conserving energy, and to understand its many benefits.

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary School) Melcita Bovell said children would change the management of energy in the home and school and as such she encouraged schools to monitor the management of energy.

Bovell also said she would be visiting schools to ensure that they are practising what is being said in the upcoming debates.