12 Jan 2022, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan : UCSI Springhill Schools and Teens4CAP recently co-organised the Teens4CAP National World Soil Day Competition during World Soil Day that was held on 5th December 2021. 

The competition’s theme, “Halt Soil Salinization, Boost Soil Productivity”, attracted 250  participants between the age of 13 to 19 from various schools and alternative education centres to raise awareness on the importance of preserving soil health to protect the environment and create regenerative agriculture. 

The competition also provides an opportunity for students to showcase their creativity in soil painting or video making while advocating for environmental sustainability. Students learned the importance of soil through educational videos and presentations from Norani Abu Bakar, RCE GKL Chairperson and the founder of The Blue Ribbon Global. 

“Teaching our youth to preserve and nurture our priceless soil is our responsibility as a mature society,” said Norani Abu Bakar. “UCSI Schools are committed to being a part of that narrative and discourse with our youth and our synergy partners.” 

Research Officer Intan Nadhirah Masri from the Malaysian Society of Soil Science (MSSS), Nur Alia Halim from GRASS Malaysia and Technical Advisor Surendran Sivasubramaniam from Ground Control Sdn Bhd joined the event to share their knowledge and expertise in creating solutions to soil problems. 

World Soil Day aims to promote the importance of soil to maintain a healthy ecosystem for better agricultural yields. It recognises soil salinization as a key problem at a global level for agricultural production, food security, and sustainability. World Soil Day also aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem by addressing challenges in soil management while combating soil salinization. 

Soil degradation from neglect or mismanagement could lead to long-term environmental disasters such as desertification and food scarcity. This would affect food security, agricultural productivity, and economic development. It also prevents the area from generating clean air, maintaining biodiversity, or supporting life.  

The event was organised by UCSI Schools and co-organised by Teens for Climate Action for Peace (Teens4CAP), UCSI SDG Secretariat Office, Regional Centre of Expertise Greater Kuala Lumpur (RCE GKL). The recent competition and teen celebration were also supported by RCE GKL as part of its advocacy for Education for Sustainable Development and SDG 13 Climate Action. This national competition was approved by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia and sponsored by The Blue Ribbon Global. 

UCSI Schools is a subsidiary under the UCSI Group which is committed to promoting sustainability. Under the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the group aims to build a sustainable future that is both equitable and thriving.