Ministry overhauls environmental education

The Ministry of Education plans to strengthen the environmental curriculum at all levels of the education system, a senior ministry official said on Monday.

The changes are being prepared and the relevant sectors are discussing how to best formulate the subject, said the Head of the ministry's Science Division of the Research Institute for Educational Science, Mr Thongkeo Asa.

Officials are aiming to introduce the new subject in various schools as part of the new national education reform programme, which is expected to come into effect in the next academic year.

“The government wants us to finish the curriculum this year,” Mr Thongkeo said.

“Global warming and climate change are important issues that countries in the region and across the world are now addressing, and raising awareness of, through their education systems.”

Mr Thongkeo said initially the environmental studies will be taught in only the first and second years of primary school. The subject will gradually be expanded to all levels, with secondary schools scheduled to begin teaching the topic in 2010, in line with the education reform strategy.

Officials met yesterday to prepare questionnaires, which will be distributed to teachers and school administrators so they can contribute to the curriculum.

Once the surveys are completed, senior officials nationwide will meet to discuss how to compile the new course, said Mr Thongkeo.

Environmental studies were introduced in schools in 1994, but have not been implemented effectively, and students are still not generally environmentally friendly.

“Completion of the new curriculum is important, but the real success will come when we can change the habits of both students and the general public and keep the environment clean and healthy,” said Mr Thongkeo.

Last year, the institute, in collaboration with the Water Resource and Environment Administration, conducted a survey of teachers' and students' knowledge of environmental issues.

Mr Thongkeo said students were found to have a good understanding, as they knew about such matters as the impact of deforestation and littering, but they did not put their knowledge into practice.

“This subject has been taught in our schools to make students aware of the issue, but in many other countries students have actually changed their habits as a result of their studies,” he said.

To ensure effective teaching of the new curriculum, experts from foreign countries will be invited to present lectures to staff and teachers about raising awareness of sound environmental practices.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update March 19, 2008)