Strengthening Environment Clubs

 

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Background

With the assistance of UNICEF, NIE, former EDC has been involved in several activities to promote environmental education. High quality materials for teachers and students to use has been produced under the project and teachers from all atolls have been trained on using these materials. These materials are based on inquiry model of teaching and envisages schools to adapt their teaching to enhance student learning that are in line with the latest trends.
In addition, during the course of last two years, NIE has worked with NGO’s to activate environment clubs. Some of these work were carried out in Hdh. Kulhudhufushi, Jalaaludheen School and K. Maafushi, Maafushi School. These were small scale funded projects. However, it is felt that there is still a long way to go in order to ensure that environment or eco clubs play a crucial role in actively and meaningfully engage students in environment related issues.

Rationale

School children require opportunities that would expand their knowledge about the environment, and gain necessary skills and build values that would enable students to develop environmental stewardship and are in positions to make informed decisions about the environment. Other than formal classroom teaching, schools require alternative pathways to engage children to expand their skills and values.
The purpose of this project is to assist schools in designing and conducting authentic tasks related to environment, such that students can engage in meaningful tasks that are of interest to them and the community. Engaging in such tasks encourages students to develop skills and attitudes.

Objectives

The following are the main objectives of this project:

• Schools build their capacity to design, assess and implement environmentally meaningful projects in their respective schools.

• Become change agents to advocate for sustainable practices.

Outcomes of the project

• School participate in sustainable practices by working through environment related projects
• Eco or Environment clubs play a more active role in engaging students in meaningful learning activities that are based on environmental issues.

Mechanism

Schools will design projects that would be conducted by eco or environment clubs. Consideration must be given that the projects designed

• Be related to students age
• Is of interest of students and community
• To explore their local environment and for students to inculcate sustainable practices
• Be of greatest impact to the students
• To provide opportunities to investigate and collect data, identify possible solutions and predicting future conditions

• Be group oriented and student led

Entry Points

Schools already have programs as part of club activities to create awareness on environmental issue. Embedding deeper learning through experiential and hands on tasks ensure that students are engaged in authentic tasks.

NIE Science team will provide technical assistance to schools to conduct the program

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Schools can do self -  evaluation of the projects carried out
• Create a portfolio or blog to showcase students work and share success stories.
• NIE science team will provide assessment and evaluate the tasks carried out by schools.

Workshop on Environment Education : Activating ECO Clubs

A three day workshop was held to build capacity of teachers and school managers to conduct environment programes.

 30 participants from 14 schools from Addu and Fuahmulak participated in this event. The sessions were facilitated by Dr. Ram Boojh, The National Focal point for UNESCO in the Maldives and also the Regional Director, Ms. Prathana Borah, Senior Program Co-ordinator (CEE Delhi), Aminath Ismail, Curriculum Development Officer (NIE) and Aminath Mohamed Curriculum Development Officer (NIE).