The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), through the LAWMA Academy, has launched the 2026 edition of its annual Summer School, reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to raising a new generation of environmentally responsible children equipped with practical knowledge and lifelong skills in waste management, recycling and environmental stewardship.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, declared the four-week programme open on Monday at the LAWMA headquarters in Ijora, where this year’s edition, themed “Young Eco-Heroes: Protecting Our Environment,” officially commenced.
He described children and young people as critical stakeholders in the quest for a cleaner and more sustainable Lagos, noting that lasting environmental transformation could only be achieved through continuous education and positive behavioural change.
Dr Gbadegesin stated that LAWMA Academy had become the Authority’s institutional platform for environmental education and advocacy, driving initiatives that equipped residents, schools, markets, estates, and community groups with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt responsible waste management practices.
He explained that the Summer School, designed for children between the ages of seven and 15, would expose participants to practical lessons in waste segregation at source, recycling, environmental sanitation, climate change, resource conservation, leadership, teamwork and sustainable living.
According to him, the programme combined classroom learning with practical demonstrations, creative recycling sessions, educational excursions and hands-on projects aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of responsible waste management and the principles of the circular economy.
He disclosed that the programme would culminate on 26th August, 2026, with a comprehensive assessment to evaluate participants’ understanding of the concepts taught during the four-week exercise, while outstanding participants would be recognised for their performance.
He added that every participant would leave the programme with practical knowledge and skills to serve as an ambassador of environmental sustainability within the home, school and wider community.
The LAWMA Managing Director said that the initiative was designed to nurture environmentally conscious children capable of influencing positive behavioural change by promoting waste reduction, segregation at source, recycling, material reuse and responsible consumption in their daily lives.
“The future of our environment depends on the choices we make today. Through this programme, we are inspiring young eco-heroes who will not only practise responsible waste management but also encourage others to protect our environment through sustainable actions,” he said.
Dr. Gbadegesin reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to promoting sustainable waste management through continuous environmental education, public enlightenment and stakeholder engagement, in line with the Lagos State Government’s vision of building a cleaner, healthier, more resilient and sustainable city.
Also speaking, the Head of LAWMA Academy, Mrs. Hauwa Momoh-Ajibola, said the four-week Summer School had been carefully designed to combine classroom learning with practical experiences, featuring interactive sessions on waste sorting, recycling, upcycling, climate change, environmental sanitation, resource conservation, leadership development, teamwork, creative learning activities, educational field trips, practical culinary classes, environmental board games and an eco-fashion show.
