Environmental Education for Sustainable Development School-based Project

This project is an initiative of the Ministry and the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC) conceived in 1999.

The purpose of project is:

To enhance through action research in five schools, school-based capacity development to deliver EESD and the dissemination of the lessons learned from this initiative throughout the MOEYC network

The goals of the project are for these five schools to develop and test an EESD model that:

• Meets school-based needs
• Documents examples of good practice and methodology
• Serves as a model for other schools.

The project was developed by Principals, Teachers, Education Officers, and the NEEC Secretariat and included a needs assessment conducted within the pilot schools. The five schools, selected by the Regional Directors, were:

• Lottery All-Age School
• Manchester High School
• Ruseas High School
• St. Catherine Primary School
• Treadlight Primary [treadlight.doc] (NB: A formal case study is being prepared on Treadlight because of its exemplary performance under this project.)

Funding was provided by the CIDA/GOJ ENACT Programme [www.enact.org.jm]

Activities were undertaken in the areas of: curriculum, training and co-curricular initiatives as follows:

Curriculum
Educating the school and the wider community on the importance of maintaining a viable environment
Providing enhanced resources to schools, including information and communication technology
Facilitating broad- based participation
Increasing the knowledge of EESD, both content and methodology

Training
Providing group and one-on-one sessions for principals, teachers, school administrators and other staff to increase sensitivity and knowledge about EESD issues to provide the motivation to bring about the change in attitude and behaviour among students and the wider community.

Co-curricular approach
Promoting a project approach to EESD to create and maintain links between the school and local communities through form periods, clubs, special projects, special events and celebration of special days, etc.

In March 2002, an end-of-project seminar was held, attended by project school principals and teachers, Education Officers, NEEC Secretariat where the schools presented accomplishments, received Certificates of Participation and made suggestions for how the model could be spread to other schools in the country.

Overall Project Successes include:

· Excellent leadership of some principals
· The centralization of EESD within the schools' development plans
· Teachers who were willing to take risks, use new resources, putting new learning into practice.
· The extension of the project outside the schools into PTAs and into communities
· Infusion of EESD into subject areas
· Seeing tangible results in students' attitudes regarding care of the environment
· Visioning workshops which motivated staff
· Documenting of the process (journals) by teachers, causing them to think more carefully about planning and conserving
· Publication of draft handbooks for principals and teachers: "Handbook for Leadership Development in Environmental Education for Sustainable Development"; and "Teaching and Learning Activities for Environmental Education for Sustainable Development"

Achievements by individual schools (as reported by the schools)

Lottery All Age School

· School compound with much improved appearance and cleanliness
· Used the school compound as a resource
· Trees on compound now labeled
· Students now more aware of physical environment and need for care
· Teachers realized how easy to infuse EESD into curriculum.
· Parents learnt lessons from children on better care of the river
· They established a poultry unit within the school farm, and used the littler for manure
· Made instruments from plastic bottles; collected bottles for recycling
· Planted trees, erected signs

Manchester High School

· Many environmental issues infused into teaching
· More varied methodologies used (discussion, letter writing, posters)
· Students more interested in science, since it is now relevant and fun
· Students now more informed about issues and policies
· Changed focus on what is the "Environment," now considering all aspects, not just the land.
· Students more responsible - litter wardens take action both in school and community
· Bottles and paper now being recycled
· Gardens established by students
· Projects displayed by students in the Science Exhibition (receiving prizes); the Caribbean exhibition in Trinidad; and sent to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa.

Rusea's High School

· Infusion of EESD in lessons
· Project done by students on rusting
· Worked with Science and Social Studies departments
· Developed an instrument that could be a blueprint for developing a plan as well as guiding evaluation
· Developed some goals and guidelines for future
· Ancillary workers trained

St. Catherine Primary School

· Curriculum enriched
· Increased ability of teachers to deliver EESD in their classroom
· Students taught to find solutions and given opportunities to carry out actions
· Increased environmental awareness and interest
· Environmental education themes/topics infused into lesson plans.
· Student analysis of school's environmental problems, resulting to exhibition
· Good use made by teachers of resources such as the newspaper "Children's Own".
· Plastic bottles made into fish, used in teaching words.

click for Treadlight Primary School

· Increase in school enrollment and attendance
· Improvement in literacy level
· Environmental awareness and environmental stewardship
· School garden that contributes to the school feeding programme
· Professional development and increased motivation for staff
· Community participation
· Transfer of learning to the home
· Increased self-confidence among students

For more information, contact:
Mrs. Sephlin Myers-Thomas, Senior Education Officer, Educational Services Department; MOEYC or
Ms. Gina Sanguinetti [mailto: gsanguin@mail.infochan.com]
Director, National Environmental Education Committee Secretariat 754-7562