The Drain Behind the Classroom
After three days of heavy rain, the drain behind the classroom block is blocked by plastic bottles and silt. Water covers the concrete path used by about 200 students each morning. The water has stood for five days, mosquito larvae are visible, and an extension cord for a temporary classroom runs through the puddle. Younger students use the path as a shortcut. The school has no maintenance budget until next term. A nearby resident tells the student council that students are to blame for throwing bottles. The council wants to clear the drain on Saturday. The principal is away until Monday; the deputy principal is on leave. You are the student council environment officer.
1. Rank the immediate actions for the next school day and justify the order.
Read the worked answer
First, remove the electrical hazard: unplug the extension cord at the power point and ask an adult to relocate it or close the temporary classroom until the cord is safe. Water and electricity together can kill, so this comes before clearing or blaming. Second, barricade the path and put up a sign; ask teachers to direct younger students around the water. Third, report to the office and the school safety contact, since the principal and deputy are away. Fourth, arrange adult-supervised drain clearing with gloves, boots and tools; students should not stand in standing water. Fifth, treat the mosquito problem by removing standing water where possible and reporting the larvae. Document the hazard with dates and photographs, and tell parents if the path remains closed. Clearing the drain on Saturday is useful, but only after the cord and the path are made safe.
2. Design a two-week campaign with no budget to reduce plastic waste and prevent the drain from blocking again.
Read the worked answer
Start with a one-day waste audit: count bottles and wrappers in three bins and at the drain, and photograph the results. Ask the workshop teacher for cut-down drums or boxes to use as labelled bins at the canteen and classroom block. Launch a class challenge to reduce bottle use, with morning announcements and a simple chart. Ask the canteen to sell water in refillable cups or to keep a refill station open. Organise a Saturday clean-up with the council, but only with adult supervision, gloves and a plan for disposing of the waste. Send a short letter to the ward council asking for a drain grate or regular collection, since blocked drains are also a design and services issue. End with a second audit and report the change to the student body so the campaign is visible and can continue.
3. The resident says students are to blame. How should the council respond so the conversation stays productive?
Read the worked answer
Listen first and avoid sounding defensive. Thank the resident for raising it, then share the audit data: how many bottles were found, where they came from and whether the drain also carries silt or rubbish from outside the school. Acknowledge that some students do litter, but explain that the drain may also be blocked by design, lack of bins or overflowing collection. Invite the resident to join the Saturday clean-up or to walk the drain with the council. Ask what they have seen and whether nearby households or shops also use the area. End with a joint action: the school will improve bins and student education, and the council will ask for a grate or collection service. Blaming one group stops people from fixing the shared problem.