Environmental Education and Awareness: The Seychelles Experience

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Environmental Education and AwarenessThe
Seychelles Experience

• Jude Bijoux

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Why Environmental Education and Awareness?

• Its been proven to be one of the best
  environmental management tool
• Through education one can be made to appreciate
  the value of the environment and help in its
  protection and as such is the key to
  environmental sustainability

Who are involved?

• Many organisations are involved principally the
• Ministry of Education (Environmental Education
  Unit)
• Ministry of Environment (All of its section, E
  I Unit)
• SCMRT-MPA
• Environmental NGOs
• District Groups

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Methods involved

• From experience its been found that the most
  effective method is those which gets the students
  directly involved such as
• Competitions Song, Creative writing, poem,
  painting, quiz
• Field outings Snorkelling (equipment overuse),
  mangrove walk
• Participation in fairs (SUBIOS record school
  participation, most popular ECA event) and
  special activities (e.g. turtle march)
• Discussions (e.g. small island voice forum)
  class discussion and feedback online (whole class
  is involved)

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Education and Awareness in the School curriculum

• Has been integrated in the school curriculum
  however not through a dedicated subject but
  through other subjects (science, languages, etc)
  
• Environmental education is a compulsory component
  in teachers training
• The programme is proving successful as a result
  of the hard work of the teachers who has
  developed the materials needed.
• Involves both theory and practical work

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Eco-school Competition

• Has been one way of getting the whole school
  involved (teachers, students, s. staff, parents)
• School has to demonstrate innovation in
  environmental activities and adopt environmental
  projects
• Head teachers have been trained and are now being
  the driving force behind the school activities
• Has to show that environmental issues is covered
  in the school curriculum

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How effective is e a

• Some changes are being observed
• Greater involvement of parents in e a
  activities brought about by children
• More children are involved in environmental clubs
  and activities and seek environmentally related
  volunteer holiday jobs
• Greater depth in the quality of work being
  presented (new topics are being taken into
  account)
• Observable difference in attitude between youths
  and older members of the population

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Needs

• To have more locally made products for use in
  education and awareness programmes
• Greater access to internationally produced
  products
• More equipment to support field activities (e.g.
  masks and snorkels)
• To set up an international network students and
  teachers (preferably in SIDS)
• Use the internet more as a source of information
  dissemination
• Flexibility in government structure to enable
  staff to target youths on weekends.

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Action Requested

• The ICRI meeting is invited to
• Urge its members and networks to continue to
  build capacity in environmental education and
  awareness
• Urge its members and networks to support the
  production of local education and awareness
  materials
• Request delegates and its members to make
  available internationally education materials
  produced in their country or region that could be
  used in other countries or regions
• Start thinking about adopting a resolution on
  marine awareness and education
• Find ways to get environmental educators more
  involved in its deliberations.