Warriors of the Earth | Integration of Environmental Awareness Education in the School Curricula at All Levels
In 2017, the Philippines was ranked the third most vulnerable country to climate change due to large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, and its current status and corresponding impacts, including changes in rainfall patterns and distribution, threats to natural ecosystems and food security, and sea level rise, only continue to worsen each year. This is complemented by rampant air and water pollution reported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources endangering this archipelagic and agricultural nation whose livelihoods are primarily dependent on climate-sensitive natural and marine resources, once rich but now greatly depleted. With our country’s heavy reliance on the riches in our environment for our survival, awareness of environmental sustainability is a pertinent advocacy to be championed, and this starts by educating the youth.
A project I remember consistently doing all throughout elementary to senior high school, and even in university, was growing a plant at home, whether it be in a simple plastic cup or a pot, or even tending to a whole garden. This is a testament that no one is ever too old to learn - and practice - environmental sustainability in simple ways. As a citizen of this country, it is vital for children to learn to be good stewards of Mother Earth. Furthermore, knowing that good habits, values, and practices are much easily instilled, remembered, and carried out to adulthood, concepts of environmental protection and preservations should be integrated into the school curriculum of both public and private preschool, elementary, high schools, and even universities. To take it a step further, the inclusion of this topic should be extended to non-formal or out-of-school youth courses or programs as well as to people in technical, vocational, and indigenous learning. In this way, learning about this topic becomes more accessible to children of various social classes and to cultivate a unified Philippine effort towards environmental sustainability. After all, knowledge and understanding of this topic should not be emphasized only for the sake of having the information available but moreso for application purposes.
Educating the youth on the importance of nurturing nature instills in them a well of passion for their environment. In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency, education on environmental sustainability goes beyond simply promoting nature, but also provides opportunities for individuals to actively explore environmental issues and form their own opinions on complex issues. Encouraged to conduct their own investigations into the how’s and the why’s, the youth are able to understand the issues they presently face in their own habitat, thereby giving them personal motivation to engage in problem-solving and take part in improving the environment in their own communities. Furthermore, the enhancement of their critical and creative thinking skills is facilitated in the process. Thus, the youth are provided with a deep connection to their surroundings that enables them to live in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner well into the future. Lastly, this education contributes to the preparation of the next generation of environmental advocates, armed with the building blocks they need to champion a worthy cause.
The Philippines has made large strides in terms of creating policies for the inclusion of environmental education in school curricula. Under Republic Act No. 9512, also known as the Environmental Awareness Education Act of 2008, the three educational agencies of DepEd, CHED, and TESDA, in coordination with DENR and DOST, are mandated to integrate environment education into all subject areas, use various teaching strategies to introduce environment education to learners, and enable students to develop their own sense of values and commitment to solve problems and make decisions concerning the environment, though this system was initiated already in 1977. Updates were also made over the years to extend the framework of the program from basic education to technical and vocational as well as higher education. Several further efforts have also been made by the Department of Education towards strengthening environmental education in public and private schools. For instance, DepED Order No. 72, s.2003 established YES-O or the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization, an avenue for students to do actions such as clean-up drives, tree-planting activities, and other community environment-related activities. Meanwhile, DepEd Order No. 52, s.2011 required effective school-based activities that promote, protect, and preserve the environment. In particular, the Climate Change Act of 2009 and Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K-12 Act strengthened curriculum integration of key climate change concepts across grade levels through the introduction of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) concepts from kindergarten to junior high school subject areas such Health, Science, Araling Panlipunan, and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, with a special subject of DRRM offered as part of the STEM strand in senior high. On the tertiary level, some higher education institutions have also started to offer environment-related courses, NSTP being an example of one, and going as far as to conduct a few community and extension programs regarding environment protection.
Thus, within my locality, I can see that there are quite a lot of educational programs and curricula geared towards enforcing environmental preservation and protection already being implemented. Nevertheless, there still remains the lack of environmental and sustainable development literacy that is science-based and taught in an in-school setting, especially in public education, which is a point for improvement. Furthermore, there remains a lack of environmental praxis, for awareness is useless if it doesn’t translate to action, and this reality has become evident in the past years, where the Philippines has become a center for numerous ecological crises due to human factors.
In conclusion, the integration of environmental awareness education in school curricula at all levels is a massive undertaking that should continue to be pursued. Equipping the youth with knowledge and skills in environmental sustainability will not only raise their awareness, but will encourage them to seek alternatives when they have to make key decisions when dealing with the environment around them. This makes them warriors of the earth, responsible stewards with the hearts to care for the country they live in and keep nature alive and resources available for the use of future generations. After all, if they are responsible for these little things, they will show the same passion and responsibility when they are entrusted with bigger tasks, making them competent leaders who will see to it that our nation grows and prospers in the coming years.
References
Chandran, R., Gunawardena, C., & Castro, N.(2017). The National Environmental Education Action Plan, 2018-2040 (ver. 1). Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines.
Department of Education, Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.). Climate change education in the Philippines. https://www.deped.gov.ph/climate-change-education/cce-in-the-philippines/
Galang, A.P. (2010, April). Environmental education for sustainability in higher education institutions in the Philippines. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(2): 173-183. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371011031892
Kinnear, K. (2021, July 22). Why environmental education is important for kids. Rubicon Technologies, Inc. https://www.rubicon.com/blog/environmental-education-for-kids/
National Integrated Climate Change Database Information and Exchange System. (n.d.). Climate change impacts. https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/climate-change-impacts
Tarubal, L. (2021, June 29). [Opinion] The sad reality of environmental education in the Philippines. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/ispeak/opinion-sad-reality-environmental-education-in-the-philippines/