 Ramathasar in George Town leads in cooking oil recycling drive){kind=link}
SJK (T) Ramathasar at Jalan Sungai in George Town has set an exemplary benchmark for other schools after collecting between 1,500kg and 1,600kg of used cooking oil in just two months.
Headmaster T. Vinod, who led the initiative, said the achievement stood out because it involved every segment of the school community.
“Our students, teachers, and parents all worked together. It became a habit for them to bring used cooking oil every week,” he told Buletin Mutiara.
The collection was part of the Used Cooking Oil Competition organised by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) in partnership with Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB), which ran from Aug 1 to Sept 30.
The school won both the primary category and the overall champion title in the 2nd Used Cooking Oil (UCO) Collection Competition. It received a certificate, an RM3,000 Setel voucher, and a challenge trophy.
This marks the second consecutive year that Vinod has excelled in the programme, having secured second place at SJK (T) Sungai Ara last year before his transfer.
A total of 835 students, from preschoolers to Year Six, took part, alongside 20 teachers and five staff members.
Vinod said the campaign initially faced challenges as many parents were unaware of proper disposal methods for used cooking oil.
“Once we explained the importance of disposing of it correctly, the parents were very supportive. Awareness among students also improved quickly,” he said.
The school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funded all the necessary equipment, including storage drums and weighing tools.
“The school sells the collected oil strictly to authorised collectors. Petronas’ appointed dealer purchases it at RM3 per kilogram, and all proceeds are channelled back into the PTA account,” he added.
Vinod said the school intends to continue the initiative throughout the year.
“This is not just for competition. We want our students to grow up with the right environmental habits.”
He also noted that more Penang schools participated this year, reflecting a rise in awareness of proper oil disposal.
Environmental education is a major focus at SJK (T) Ramathasar. Within six months, the school has created 90 environmental-themed murals, sponsored by parents and the PTA.
“The school also partners with Penang Water Watch, which conducts water conservation sessions for students.
“All water taps have been replaced with push-type taps to reduce wastage, and the school is involved in the Anugerah Kolej Kitar Semula programme,” he said.
Vinod added that the next major initiative will be the establishment of an agro-farm and a greenhouse early next year.
“We want to expose students to agriculture and hands-on planting. It fits well with our long-term environmental goals,” he said.
Also present during the interview were senior assistant P. Sangritha and Student Welfare senior assistant G. Sailaja.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting