EB vol39 final - EEASA · 5070 (chemistry) and compared it against the national education policies...
25
BULLETIN 39 39 39 39 November 2012 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Transcript of EB vol39 final - EEASA · 5070 (chemistry) and compared it against the national education policies...
Prim
ary B
usiness A
ddress
Your A
ddress Line 2
Y
our Add
ress Line 3
Your A
ddress Line 4
Phone: 555
-555-5
555
Fax: 555-55
5-5555
E
-mail: s
ome
one@exa
mple.c
om
BULLETIN
39
39
39
39
Novem
ber 2
012
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
ISSN 0256 7504
Published by
AIMS OF EEASAAIMS OF EEASAAIMS OF EEASAAIMS OF EEASA To act as a responsible body for the purpose of consultation and co-ordination on matters of public
and professional interest concerning environmental education in southern Africa.
• To promote interdisciplinary as well as multi-disciplinary environmental education.
• To promote, organise and sponsor activities associated with, and research in, environmental
education.
• To disseminate information on environmental education.
• To provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and opinions, inter alia by means of the
publication of a journal, bulletin, newsletters and occasional monographs.
Members receive two copies of the Environmental Education Bulletin and one copy of the Southern
African Journal of Environmental Education free.
Membership enquiries can be directed to the EEASA administrative secretary in Howick, South
Africa.
The Environmental Education Bulletin is a forum for the exchange of opinions. Views expressed do
not necessarily represent or reflect those of the Environmental Education Association of Southern
Africa (EEASA).
BULLETIN EDITORBULLETIN EDITORBULLETIN EDITORBULLETIN EDITOR JOURNAL EDITORJOURNAL EDITORJOURNAL EDITORJOURNAL EDITOR
Ms Linda Downsborough Prof. Heila Lotz-Sisitka
[email protected] [email protected]
Tel: +27 11 950 4130 Tel: +27 46 603 8390
PO Box 394 HOWICK 3290
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel +27 (0)33 3303931
Fax +27 (0)33 304576
www.eeasa.org.za
Environmental
Education
Association of
Southern Africa
Registration: 015-534 Non Profit Organisation, South Africa
On a very long and lonely road in Namibia
recently, it struck me just how long it has been
between issues of this Bulletin. COP 17 has come
and gone, EEASA’s 30th birthday has come and
gone and the end of the world is upon us, if you
believe the Mayan prophecy.
What I believe is that there are dozens of
environmental educators out there, doing
amazing things in schools, in communities, in
gardens and zoos and in their daily lives which
they are keeping to themselves and depriving
the rest of this EEASA community from knowing.
The EEASA bulletin is a forum for promoting
scholarly articles on Environmental Education, it
also serves as a platform for learning and sharing
of ideas and the dissemination of information
about Environmental Education.
I would like to encourage everyone to read,
comment and provide me with feedback on the
proposed new structure of the Bulletin on page
21. Dialogue and communication are critical
aspects in all facets of the modern world,
without them, messages become lost, open to
misinterpretations, assumptions get made and
criticism becomes rife. Let this not be the way
forward for our Bulletin.
This Bulletin contains three feature articles and
two short pieces highlighting particular EE
projects or programmes.
Shumba and Kampamba argue that science
education is an important learning area in
schools and yet many scholars recall their
experiences of the subject as highly technical
and irrelevant. The authors suggest and are
implementing the notion of “learning as
connection” which enhances learning through
the notion that learners make sense of the
subject matter in relation to everyday
experiences and sustainable development.
In the spirit of sustainability, Hailey Gaunt
introduces readers to the concept of the Earth
Forum, which is a method of interaction in which
stakeholders are anonymous and thus not
defined by their organisations and institutions
which can be useful in situations of conflict
resolution for example.
Youth participation is highlighted in the article by
Lwembemwale with the formation of the
Bluebuck network, a coalition of dedicated youth
from Southern Africa. Youth development,
particularly of school going youth is being
revitalized in schools across Botswana through a
partnership with BirdLife Botswana offering
outdoor learning activities, providing
environmental awareness and bird identification
The wordsearch has twelve hidden words and
there are some photos from the EEASA
conference. 3
EDITORIAL Linda Downsborough
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
4
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
CONTENTS MAIN FEATURES
‘Learning as connection’ in science teacher
education: A case for mainstreaming EE/ESD
into curriculum and instruction ................. 5
The art of resolution ...................................9
Youth participation in environmental
sustainability in Southern Africa ................10
SADC REEP .................................................13
Challenges to a revitalizing of environmental
education in Botswana Schools ..................15
Developing capability and agency through a
poverty reduction approach to sustainability
in Botswana …………………………………………....18
FUN AND GAMES .......................................19
YEAR OF SPECIAL DAYS …………………..……...20
EEASA’s 30th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION .....22
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
5
FEATURES
Science education is an important learning area in school yet many people recall their school
experiences in science as highly technical, abstract, and irrelevant: “We just crammed to pass
examinations”. “There were no examples I could relate to personally”. “I could not even realise that
science is all around me”. Simply put, learners neither perceive benefits of science studies for their
personal development nor for their development into responsible citizens. Our case study entails
mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into science teacher education via
the notion of ‘learning as connection’, a notion that expresses how learners make sense of the
subject matter in their syllabuses in relation to everyday experiences and sustainable
development.
We will illustrate the idea of ‘learning as connection’ by referring to chemistry where many
teachers and students are not able to answer questions such as: What is the importance of
chemistry for one’s personal development, in the community, and in the local economy? How
does chemistry avert or contribute, for example, to hunger and disease? Would the world have
‘Learning as connection’ in science teacher
education: A case for mainstreaming EE/ESD
into curriculum and instruction
Overson Shumba & Ms. Royda Kampamba
School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Zambia
“Once outside the school
gate, the physics is lost”
“They do not like to learn, but
to pass”
“In planning, it should not be
you thinking alone but con-
sider what society needs”
“We have identified the
problem, we want to learn,
we want to teach the pupils
and people in Chipata
compound to change their
lives”
6
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
been different with or without certain chemical products and technologies? Is the individual citizen
or household responsible for the chemical pollutants in rivers, soils, and air?
In our research we encourage science educators to think about how their subjects contribute to the
development of literate and responsible citizens. We expect every science educator to be
concerned about the overall purpose why science subjects are included in the curriculum in relation
to personal needs and to societal needs. Teachers need to motivate and enable learners to acquire
technical understanding and skills associated with science and to connect their understanding and
skills to personal and societal contexts as consumers of science products and technologies and
where science related issues are topical, controversial, and must be resolved. Connecting science
teaching and learning to economic, social, and environmental issues of concern to their
communities and society provides a context and relevance and the possibility to change the
scenario presented by one of our students (reflecting on participation in this action research):
AM: One thing I have noted is that, when it comes to learning in Zambia, mostly when we
learn, we cram facts mostly up to grade 12. That is always the case. What I am able to see is a
situation where we are introducing something (i.e., integrating ESD) which is going to bring a
real life situation to a certain lesson, not only just to cram the stated facts and to reproduce
the facts but to understand the concepts fully so that they can be of use, even of use to
society (Focus Group Discussion, 26 August 2011).
Our research therefore promotes the need to integrate ESD and to re-orient teaching and learning
towards ‘learning as connection’. In the research thus far, we have analysed the high school syllabus
5070 (chemistry) and compared it against the national education policies in Zambia. We also
evaluated the Copperbelt University teaching methods course and student service teachers’
perceptions concerning mainstreaming ESD. We have established that education policies in Zambia
direct all school courses to develop responsible citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to
Sustainable Development.
“Learning about sustainable develop-
ment issues can make a difference. It
will change the way we think and do
things even in our hostels”.
“Sustainable development objectives
are long term, so we need to change
assessment. For example, allow pupils
to debate, they can express their view
points and positions about issues”
“We have not projected why they
should learn physics, they do not under-
stand per se, they rote learn for the
exam. There is no metaphysical learn-
ing, they do not ask why?”
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
7
been different with or without certain chemical products and technologies? Is the individual citizen
or household responsible for the chemical pollutants in rivers, soils, and air?
Sustainable Development is linked to environmental, economic, and socio-cultural issues including
pollution, gender and equity, health education, family life education, human rights, democracy, life
and values education and vocational skills. These issues are not picked up methodically in the con-
tent and teaching approaches of the high school 5070 syllabus or in the university teaching methods
course. Teachers are not guided on how to integrate the above issues into their teaching. One of
the aims of the research is to change the current approach used by teachers on the Copperbelt
(note focus on technical chemistry, school textbooks as references, and no mention of applications,
e.g., pH and acidity of local foods, water sources, soils, air, etc or non-textbook reference materials).
Some student teachers perceive the content presented above as relevant and must be main-
streamed; however one student made the following analysis (our reflections are italicised):
HM: In here (raising a mathematics syllabus), if we were to compare the expectations written
by the Permanent Secretary (in the preamble of the syllabuses) and the content, the way the
syllabus really is laid out, in the syllabus, we are just seeing the content itself, specifying the
objectives... (inaudible), they (syllabuses) do not talk about the expectations of the PS (for
mainstreaming EE/ESD issues) in the content of the syllabuses. We just see dry mathematics,
pure mathematics. Even if its chemistry (syllabus), its just pure chemistry, inside these
syllabuses. ... We can directly say, there is no ‘Zambianness’ (possibly meaning no local
relevance and contextualisation) inside the content because the mathematics that is here
(raising a mathematics syllabus) is for, is the mathematics which everyone else out there does.
... We do not see anything that we can say, yes, OK, this is for us (Focus Group Discussion, 26
August 2011).
8
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
In the ‘action’ phase of this research our students organised themselves into five teams to design
and implement syllabus-based lessons that demonstrated how to creatively and effectively
integrate ESD in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. First, the team researched the EE/
ESD issues in the community, e.g. water and sanitation issues and pollution for a chemistry unit to
discuss with the local community and to incorporate in the lessons. Water and sanitation challenges identified by student teachers in a compound near the University.
The second step in the action phase was that student teachers developed “ESD-integrative lessons”
in which they incorporated local EE/ESD issues to promote environmental learning. The five groups
developed and presented their lessons in an “integrated lesson design competition” in which
creativity was assessed against ability to interpret policies and syllabuses and their ability to
integrate specific local community EE/ESD issues into regular lessons. The competition provided a
collection of lessons and experiences that demonstrate ‘learning as connection’.
During the third step, student teachers were encouraged to plan action research projects in which
during the teaching practicum they integrated EE/ESD issues and teaching and learning methods
(field-trips, excursions, projects, problem solving, etc.) and evaluated their impact. Several students
have chosen the action research approach to their final year research projects.
Students participating in fieldtrip excursions.
Through the research process adopted by this research project, the findings raise the need for
science educators to seriously ponder the question: How can learning of STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) subjects (e.g., chemistry) catalyse and nurture a sense of
responsibility and agency for sustainable development? Mainstreaming EE/ESD has benefits.
Correspondence: [email protected]/
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
9
“One of the problems with environmental
education today, is the word ‘awareness’,” says
Rhodes Environmental Education PhD student,
Dylan McGarry, “Being aware of something
doesn’t mean it will change what you value.”
With this in mind, McGarry is taking a fresh
approach to his thesis in Environmental
Education. Borrowing a concept from Joseph
Beuys, a German artist who invented social
sculpture and believed everyone is an artist and
capable of reshaping their own understanding of
the world, McGarry has conceived of an
innovative social learning process called the
Earth Forum.
Last week, as a part of the Re-
Imaging mini festival that took
place at the Environmental
Learning Research Centre, a
group of twenty youth from
throughout the country
gathered to conduct their own
Earth Forum. With the help of
Project 90 by 2030, who is
funding the project, the group of
young leaders met to discuss
their thoughts around climate
change in preparation for the
UN Climate Change Summit and
COP 17. “The purpose is to give an account from
a youth perspective,” said Simone Carolissen
from Cape Town. “Considering we’re the future,
it’s important for them to know our ideas,”
commented Michael Stroving, also from Cape
Town.
The Earth Forum operates on the idea that we
are all citizens of the earth, and thus responsible
participants, capable of imaging a more
desirable future. It is a method of interaction
that can also be used in conflict resolution or to
address a variety of community/social issues.
The process encourages agenda-less gathering
through creating an atmosphere where the
stakeholders in a particular issue are
anonymous, and thus not defined by their
institution or professional role. These labels
characterise us by what we ‘do’, undermining us
a complex ‘beings’, says McGarry.
“We wanted something that would work with
what we do, but we wanted to acknowledge
that [our] doings are influenced by what [we]
value being,” says McGarry, explaining that the
Earth Forum creates a space for interaction that
is not debate or deliberation, but one that
emphasises the purest form of communication:
listening.
What’s so great about the Earth
Forum is that it’s easily replicated,
says McGarry, “It’s inexpensive,
accessible, and it has integrity.”
The only thing it needs to function
is a basic kit which consists of an
oil cloth (used to symbolise a
common territory) and a
handbook, along with a facilitator,
who must have attended at least
five forums.
“Building people’s capacity to
image and refine their ability to
really listen is a very important aspect,” says
McGarry,
“The Earth Forum uses a particular shape and
form to bring together people from all different
backgrounds.”
Although the Earth Forum is still in its incubating
stages, it has successfully toured South Africa via
the Climate Train, in an effort to gather steam
for COP 17 in December. Through visiting such
dissimilar environments as remote as Karoo
dorpies and big city Joburg, the forum has been
able to draw out a multiplicity of voices, valuing
each one of them equitably.
The art of resolution
By Hailey Gaunt
10
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
More than ever before, mankind today faces
complex challenges that threaten his very
existence, including extreme poverty and
climate change. Fighting these crises requires
efforts from all sectors of society. It is against
such a background that even the youth have
resolved to participate in the development of
measures to address today’s pressing global
problems. For instance, the youth in Southern
African Universities have embarked on a
number of projects to address environmental
problems at community, national and regional
levels. Such universities include the University of
Zambia, University of Cape Town, Rhodes
University, University of Fort Hare, Stellenbosch
University, University of Swaziland and Nelson
Mandela Metropolitan University.
The University of Zambia strives to ensure
environmental sustainability through
environmental awareness projects and climate
change research and sensitization. The
environmental education student association at
the University of Zambia (UNZAEESA) is stepping
up its efforts to make people aware of
environmental issues through its sensitization
programmes in schools and the media. Some
students have harnessed the potential of social
media by using Facebook to increase
environmental consciousness through a page
named GBO (Going Beyond Organic). Other
students intend to create a database of all
environmental organizations in the country to
ensure that those that are dealing with the
same or similar issues can partner with these
organizations and achieve success on a larger
scale. The student society also intends to
embark on a campaign to encourage
manufactures to participate in ensuring
environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the
students shall soon launch the ‘Green Campus
Initiative’ (UNZA-GCI) aimed at creating a
greener campus by tackling issues of waste,
water management and power management. It
is also hoped that the Green Initiative can be
spread to the surrounding communities and
later to the whole country. The youth at the
University of Zambia believe that they have
much to learn from other southern African
universities and hence have joined a network of
students from other universities who are doing
waste management and recycling, water
harvesting, community and university campus
greening initiatives.
The youth have also realized the importance of
partnering with other like minded organizations
that are dealing with environmental
sustainability in southern Africa. This is evident
in the partnerships with organizations such as
South East African Climate Consortium (SEACC),
Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) and Generation
Earth. Furthermore, the youth have recognized
the need to collaborate efforts and share
experiences in the various environmental
projects that they are embarking on in the
various southern African countries. This
collaboration led to the creation of the
Bluebuck Network. The youth from southern
African countries met at a summit hosted by
Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape. After the
summit the students acknowledged the need for
partnership from different sectors of society in
order to ensure environmental sustainability.
Youth participation in environmental sustainability
in southern Africa
Lwembemwale
University of Zambia
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
11
The environmental problems currently being
experienced by southern African countries,
reveal common issues of sustainability hence
the need to address these at regional level.
Additionally, the problems experienced
contribute to the global environmental crisis. As
such, it was resolved at the Bluebuck summit
that the network shall also aim to represent the
youth of southern Africa at an international
level. This is especially important now as South
Africa hosts the COP17 climate change
conference at which youth participation in
southern African countries shall be scrutinized
by the international community in its response
towards environmental issues.
Environmental education plays a critical role in
addressing environmental problems facing the
world today. Furthermore, the relevance of
youth participation in solving today’s
environmental problems cannot be over
emphasized. Thomas et. al (2009:54) for
instance argue that in order to tackle
development issues in a changing climate, youth
and community participation need to be
included.
It is hoped that through the Bluebuck network
and the youth environmental education projects
and activities in southern Africa, a positive
contribution will be made towards achieving
environmental sustainability.
Reference
Thomas, T. et. al in International Institute for
Environment and Development(2009)
Participatory Learning and Action 60,
Community- based adaptation to climate
change. IIED, 3 Endsleigh Street,London WC1H
0DD, UK.
Correspondence:
Lwembemwale
University of Zambia
P.O Box 32379,
Lusaka, Zambia.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +260 979 5277 12
Picture of delegates of Bluebuck Network summit held at Rhodes University in Grahamstown.
12
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme
Introduction
In 2012, the SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme (REEP) community of practice
commemorated its 15th
anniversary during the Environmental Education Association of southern
Africa (EEASA) Conference in September in Grahamstown, South Africa, coinciding with EEASA’s 30th
anniversary. During the same year, world leaders went back to Brazil to review progress and plan
for the planet’s future after 20 years since the first Rio Summit, officially the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development.
The question one may ask is, with all these meetings and initiatives, how much has changed as far
as environmental knowledge, capability, actions and improvement are concerned. Well, despite the
many challenges that we face today, including climate change impacts, food insecurity, impacts of
the world financial crises and poor health among others, a lot has been done the world over. In
southern Africa in particular the engagement with change projects and choice practices as part of
capacity development have resulted in an external evaluation describing the SADC REEP work as
“unique” in its process and impacts on peoples’ lives. This success story is owed to the SADC REEP
community of practice, partnerships across national, regional and international boundaries, the
oversight by the SADC Secretariat, the unique relationship between the SADC Secretariat and
WESSA, and the network of people in the SADC Member States and across the boundaries at
regional networking level – congratulations to you all for your tremendous contribution to
sustainable development through education, capacity building and sustainability practices in your
institutions of learning (natural resources management, agricultural, fisheries, teacher education
colleges, universities and schools), non-governmental organisations and community-based
organisations, municipalities, youth organisations, among others.
According to the SADC Capacity Assessment, the future capacity needs are centered on institutional
strengthening for sustainability policies and actions, regional and national cross-sectoral
collaboration and stronger involvement of youths.
Lessons learnt from and for the SADC REEP community of practice
Incorporating within the programme, support for regional networking and shared costs:
The programme support for networking activities such as the National Environmental Education
Network representatives, Regional Centres of Expertise, EEASA and the ESD research network, with
shared costs from SADC Member States, local institutions and overseas development assistance
have ensured continuity, stability and sustainability.
SADC REEP
Tichaona Pesanayi
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
13
Maintaining a strong, committed and motivated regional network of country network
representatives
The SADC REEP National Environmental Education Network representatives, themselves formally
employed senior Government officers, have consistently met using time donated by their
governments to guide the SADC REEP Secretariat and to share and learn from national progress and
common concerns, with a minimum of 80% attendance.
Continuous reflexivity on the processes of and feedback from facilitating capacity building
Facilitating the SADC REEP is a challenging task due to the huge and diverse network and
community of practice that has been
cultivated in the region. As a learning
institution the SADC REEP has
endeavoured to be continuously
reflexive, meaning obtaining feedback
from its community of practice and
listening to developments in the field of
EE/ESD, and using this to grow and
steer the programme in the desired
direction. External evaluations have
also been utilised by the programme.
Photo left: International team of Sida external evaluators discussing with SADC REEP Community of practice at
EEASA Conference, September 2012: from left Dr M Mukute, Prof B Jickling, Dr Kudzai Chatiza and Prof A Wals
Engaging with policy makers and decision makers, and linking with practice
The SADC REEP has consistently worked with policy makers and decision makers, who are the
institutions that brought the programme to life and ensure its existence. These include the
Ministers of Environment, Natural Resources and
Education, the Principal or Permanent
Secretaries and the Directors. Obtaining
guidance from these Principals has ensured
guidance from the highest levels, ensuring the
programme’s continuous relevance.
Photo right: Seychelles Minister of Environment Hon.
Rolph Payet addressing SADC REEP workshop in
Victoria, November 2012
Using the change project approach as learning, action and monitoring in capacity building
The change project approach to capacity building has ensured that SADC REEP facilitation of human
and institutional capacity development is unique, sustainable, workplace-centred and community-
driven. This business-as-unusual approach has helped to enable more people to be involved in
sustainability practices that the programme would otherwise not have been able to directly engage
with through contact sessions.
14
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Working closely with institutional leaders to mainstream EE/ESD in institutional policy and
ethos
The leaders are critical in the success of capacity building, action and institutionalisation of the
processes and sustained impacts of EE/ESD interventions. Hence principals of institutions,
directors of government departments, deans of faculties, managers, supervisors of course
participants, mentors and other leaders must be part and parcel of the planning, the capacity
building activities and oversee the implementation process. For SADC REEP this has been a
critical success factor for capacity building processes, and as such an environment and
sustainability leadership capacity development programme has been developed
A list of some key stepping-up milestones of the SADC REEP
Conclusion and Acknowledgements
It is worth reiterating and noting that the SADC REEP is owned by the environmental education and
education for sustainable development stakeholders in the region, including you the reader. At the
same time the SADC REEP has important connections with partners at national, regional, and
international levels such as the SADC Member States, the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation (UNESCO), the
Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the Swedish International
Centre of Education for Sustainable Development (SWEDESD) among others. Informed by the
external evaluation and the regional capacity assessment, the SADC REEP has developed a
programme phase for the period 2013 – 2015 which seeks to consolidate the learning that has
taken place over the past 15 years into regional training and capacity development programmes, to
be supported by learning networks and regional resource materials. Focus will be directed towards
the Natural Resource Management and Agriculture Education sectors, teacher education, rural
community livelihoods and cities, with themes incorporating climate change, ecosystem services,
biodiversity and water.
The SADC REEP would like to extend thanks to the SADC Secretariat, the SADC Member States, the
National EE Network representatives forum, the Government of Sweden, WESSA, and organizations
and networks which have all made important contributions to the programme. We look forward to
further networking and sharing at the next EEASA Conference in Malawi in 2013!
Commemoration of 15 years in 2012
SADC RCEs reach ten in 2012
External evaluation of 2012
Regional Capacity Assessment of 2012
Launch of Orange-Senqu River Learning box project 2012
EEASA Presidential Award, 2007, 2011
UNESCO ESD best practice recognition in 2009
UN Decade of ESD research 2006
External evaluation of 2005
Programme implementa-
tion started 1997
Establishment by
SADC Council of
Ministers in 1993
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
15
Introduction
Environmental Education (EE) in Botswana had a
prosperous period in the 1990s and early 2000s
after the National Conservation Strategy (NCS)
was developed and then adopted in 1990. This
led to the National Planning Conference on EE in
1991, at which the Ministry of Education
accepted the mandate to infuse EE across the
national curriculum at all levels of formal
education. These achievements in Botswana had
been already made ahead of Rio Earth Summit
in 1992 as part of a world-wide initiative by the
United Nations. Previous to this movement, EE
had been carried out by the initiatives of an
environmental NGO, Kalahari Conservation
Society and the Conservation Education Division
of the Department of Wildlife and National
Parks. Finally, the Revised National Policy on
Education (RNPE) of 1994 set the national goal
for the Ministry of Education to infuse EE across
the curriculum at all levels of formal education
in Botswana.
Many teachers however regard EE as one of the
extra-curricular activities represented by
environmental clubs (formerly Wildlife Clubs)
which teachers are not paid for. In addition,
many teachers seem to be challenged to think of
any EE activities beyond clean-up and litter
picking. There are other obstacles in facilitating
EE in schools such as the frequent transfers of
teachers. The transfer of an active teacher in EE
almost always results in the death of the EE
programme or environmental club at the school.
When an NGO is working with such a school,
this can result in the waste of the NGO’s time
and money. It has been realised that schools
should not depend on individual environmental
club teacher advisors alone any longer, but
rather form School EE Committees to be
responsible for the continuity of EE.
The Botswana School Environmental Policy and
Management Plan (SEP) pack, adapted from the
South African SEP, was developed in 2002 and
distributed to every school but little follow-up
was made afterward. To tackle this issue,
BirdLife Botswana (BLB) has attempted to revive
the implementation of SEP in schools they are
working with. BLB perceives the SEP as a
promising tool for promoting sustainable
management of school environments and that it
is necessary for a school to develop its own
policy if there is to be any sustainability in an EE
programme. Environmental clubs in schools are
also seen as influential and have core roles to
play in promoting EE activities and are therefore
promoted by BLB.
From past experiences, BLB has observed that
school teachers tend to favour litter and
environmental clean-up or recycling activities as
EE. Although they are part of EE, many teachers
might not have a clue what to teach beyond
them. Any educational activity needs aims and
objectives based on their concepts. The aim of
EE is to influence people’s values, visions,
behaviours and lifestyles.
BLB recruits schools, environmental clubs,
individual teachers and pupils to join BLB as
members. The aims are to promote their
interest and knowledge of birds and bird-
watching. In recent years, BLB has reviewed
those benefits for schools and environmental
clubs to join the membership which now
includes the following benefits:
1) free Bird Activity Book, Beginner’s Guide
to Birds of Botswana and quarterly
periodical,
2) invitation to the outings for bird watching
and annual commemorative event,
Challenges to a Revitalization of Environmental
Education in Schools in Botswana
By Yukiko Maki-Murakami
BirdLife Botswana
16
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
3) school visits to conduct EE sessions for
environmental clubs and SEP workshops for the
School EE Committees, and
4) follow-up mentorship for teachers.
BLB visits both primary and secondary schools to
conduct EE sessions for the environmental clubs
and SEP workshops for School EE Committees.
So far, BLB gives priority to BLB member schools
or environmental clubs as a benefit of their
membership. The aims of these school visit
programmes are:
1) Developing partnerships with teachers and
administrators in schools
2) Introducing bird activities to environmental
clubs
3) Energizing environmental clubs and
increasing their interests in birds
4) Assisting schools to formulate their individual
SEPs.
Those EE sessions introduced to environmental
clubs consist of hands-on activities and crafting
which encourage the learners’ participation and
experiential learning. Pupils in government
schools are desperate for extra-curricular
activities. BLB has been more welcomed by
primary school teachers than in secondary
schools while primary schools’ programmes are
better meeting the needs of their environmental
clubs. Environmental clubs can be seen as
influential and potential leaders in promoting EE
activities in a school, and are therefore
energized by BLB.
As a part of EE, BLB organizes some outings and
commemorative events such as bird walks and
World Migratory Bird Day celebrations with
schools. Due to transportation problems, pupils
can rarely go for outings. Bird walks conducted
by BLB’s birding specialists are very good
opportunities for pupils to learn about wildlife
environments outside their schools. The other
aim is for pupils to explore their local
environments such as dams. It is important to
associate fieldwork with related activities in the
classroom. The World Migratory Bird Day
celebration is an annual global awareness-
raising campaign day for BLB to highlight the
need for the protection of migratory birds and
their habitats. It is the largest school event for
BLB accommodating over 500 school children,
teachers, local community members, and other
stakeholders annually.
It is widely acknowledged that birds are very
useful indicators of biodiversity and the state of
the environment. Therefore, if birds are
monitored, the monitoring data can be used to
analyse the status of Botswana’s biodiversity
and habitats and therefore provide government
with current updated data. Previously, BLB used
to monitor threatened bird species by involving
a number of stakeholders. However, the Bird
Population Monitoring Programme (BPM) which
was initiated in November 2010 engaged the
general public to volunteer and participate in
monitoring common birds across the country
except in schools. BLB came to the realization
that school pupils, the future leaders in a
sustainable society, were left out in this scheme.
This prompted the introduction of a separate
monitoring programme for schools by BLB called
the School Birdwatch Programme (SBP). The
programme runs twice annually in February and
November and provides a good opportunity for
fieldwork to educate and inspire pupils about
wildlife. The objectives of the programme can
be summed up as follows:
1) Offering outdoor learning activities
2) Observing the trends of bird populations
around their school
3) Introducing pupils to a long-term research
project
4) Raising environmental awareness
5) Providing bird identification skills and
knowledge of birds
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
17
Four key issues have been identified by BLB as
barriers to revitalize EE in Botswana:
Lower-status of EE
Although it was recommended in the Revised
National Policy on Education 1994, EE is still
seen as only an extra-curricular activity such as
an environmental club or little clean up club. EE
is not classified as an examinable subject nor a
cross-curricular activity as the policy suggests.
Therefore many teachers tend to concentrate
on the subjects that will be examined and are
reluctant to promote EE in their schools,
especially if they are not paid to do so.
Lack of teacher training on EE
Both primary and secondary school teachers
who studied in teacher training colleges were
not trained to teach EE in their pre-service
training. Therefore, they are sent to schools
without knowledge on EE.
Lack of concept of EE
Many schools BLB has visited seem to be
challenged to think of any EE activities beyond
clean-up, litter picking and recycling in their
schools. There is an absence of ecological
concepts affecting learners’ values and visions.
This may be caused by the lack of pre-service
and in-service training on EE.
Lack of sustainability of EE
A frequent transfer of teachers affects the
continuity of EE in schools. The lessons learned
have shown repeatedly that environmental
clubs and EE activities die almost immediately
after the transfer of an active teacher or
teachers.
In response to these challenges BLB identified
four key recommendations on a way forward for
revitalizing EE in schools in Botswana:
Keeping Decision Makers Updated
It is very important to involve higher level
officers in policy and decision making in the
Ministry of Education and Skills Development in
EE for improving the situation. They need to be
kept updated on the progress and constraints
for implementing EE.
Supervision of EE
Infusion of EE into the school curricula is
recommended in the RNPE of 1994, yet EE
programmes are not covered by current school
inspections. To oversee the implementation of
EE in schools, an EE checklist for school
inspections should be used for monitoring by
the Ministry of Education and Skills
Development.
Providing Technical Support
The absence of pre-service training in EE at
Teachers’ Training Colleges prevents teachers
from being informed on EE to be confident in
teaching it. Constant technical support is
needed for teachers through conducting pre-
service and in-service training, mentorships
through meetings, and teaching aides for hands-
on activities.
Empowering environmental clubs
School environmental clubs have the potential
leaders and peer educators in practicing EE in
their schools and communities. It can be very
effective to energize environmental clubs
through conducting EE sessions, inviting them
for events and competitions which can make
them motivated to learn more about
environmental issues and solutions.
Correspondence: Yukiko Maki-Murakami
BirdLife Botswana
18
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Gender issues and natural resources utilization for sustainable development discourse are current
topical issues that cannot be avoided. Statistically, women are the hardest hit by poverty wherever
it exists. The Botswana Government has come up with several policies and projects to empower
women in particular to participate in economic activities that could reduce if not illuminate poverty
among women, particularly women headed households. Women, particularly poor women, are
often blamed for degrading the environment in trying to make a living out of the available natural
resources. In recognition of this situation, the Government of Botswana has initiated the formation
of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) through the Community Based Natural Resources
Management Policy (CBNRMP) (Republic of Botswana, 2007). The CBNRMP encourages sustainable
utilization of natural resources. The policy encourages local communities to participate in natural
resources management. In response to this policy, a group of twenty-six villages in the Tswapong
area have formed a community based trust to sustainably manage natural resources within their
area. The trust, known as Kgetsi-ya-Tsie, abbreviated KyT, is a women’s community based
organization involved in the management of natural resources. (The name “Kgetsi-ya-Tsie” is
derived from a Setswana proverb which reads: Kgetsi ya tsie e kgonwa ke gotshwaraganelwa,
which means “if we are united we can succeed”). Its purpose is to assist rural women to empower
themselves, both socially and economically by more effectively organising their entrepreneurial
activities, based on sustainable management of natural resources (KyT, 2009). The study shows the
role of women, their participation, self empowerment through social learning to reduce poverty
among themselves and promote sustainable development.
The research examined how women in the Eastern part of Botswana exploit resources for
subsistence and commercial reasons. It examined different ways of exploiting the resources, skills
employed, and how they cope with economic and social challenges to promote sustainability. The
research also explored communities’ conceptions of quality and relevant adult education,
capabilities, agency and adult education pedagogies to promote social change for poverty reduction
strategies among rural women. The preliminary results of this research show that the benefit is
growing annually although some challenges are reducing the enthusiasm of some members of
Kgetsi-ya-Tsie. Some of the challenges include droughts and distant markets for products. The trust
itself has experienced a shortage of skilled personnel. Women connect at various levels without the
constraints of a formal structure to acquire skills that enable them to be more resilient to economic
challenges. Knowledge that is shared and learned in communities of practice is social capital. They
share their expertise, experiences and learn from each other on different ways of solving the
problems they face, developing new capabilities, leveraging best practices, standardizing practices,
and increasing their talents. Women exploit natural resources for subsistence and commercial
purposes. Through the implementation of government policies and informal traditional knowledge
systems women are trained in natural resources products harvesting, processing and their uses. It
emerged that poverty reduction needs multifaceted approaches by those affected and government
institutions offering assistance.
Correspondence: M.J. Ketlhoilwe [email protected]
Developing capability and agency through a
poverty reduction approach to sustainability in
Botswana
By M.J. Ketlhoilwe and K. Jeremiah
This is a summary of a full paper presented at the 2011 EEASA conference in Lesotho
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
19
There are 12 words in the wordsearch below arranged either diagonally, horizontally,
vertically or backwards.
Fun & Games
A S T H J K L V B N D S S N O S S E L L
G G B M Q X S D R T V U Q D R E F G L K
E R Y T Y S M C V O P P O R T U N I T Y
N O Z A O Y N B V S D T J K W P L K T Y
C H G A U K W V Y N K L D S T I V X S W
Y M F Z T V J S R K O M J G S W G Y E X
T H J L H E F T Y H S E J U A E F F M L
Y Y N Q A S D B J Y R E N M J U S S P O
M K E L A H G A W A R E N E S S J W O B
C O M M E F G A X C V B F E S G Y K W O
O L O Y I I R E B V H E A S O K L S E E
L I W V M K G R S W T I O L K J T Y R M
L X A S D R E G T Y H U J I K L I L I P
A M E S G Y H U J K L S A D E R T Y N N
B N B V M A I N S T R E A M I N G O G S
O N W F Y J I L N D E W A V Y E G O L L
R R H F C W S U K M V N B S R H G F L L
A R S L I V E L I H O O D S Y O L O D I
T N W Y H G F V H J K L I O P L W E T K
E M D V Y W K O P X W G U J K T S S I S
N P L O N O I T A Z I L A T I V E R W E
Mainstreaming Livelihoods
Youth Agency
Lessons Women
Collaborate Skills
Awareness Empowering
Revitalization Opportunity
20
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
The Year of Special Days 2013 has been developed through WESSA Share-Net, a project of
WESSA. The booklet supports educators and community leaders to make links between
environmental days in the 2013 calendar and environmental learning in the school
curriculum.
The first Year of Special Days was compiled in 1995 by Kate Davies from the Diocese of
Umzimvubu, near Kokstad, as her final assignment for the Gold Fields Participatory Course
in Environmental Education. Since then, the booklet has been annually updated and
expanded with contributions from people around South Africa and has even been adapted
for several other countries in southern Africa.
The Year of Special Days 2013 is designed to help educators plan school assemblies and
learning activities. Each page provides just enough information to launch learners and
educators on a quest to find out more! Possible activities for each Special Day include
inviting a guest speaker to assembly, planning active learning in line with the curriculum,
or whole class/school activities around a chosen theme.
2013 Environmental Days
DATE SPECIAL DAY
2 February World Wetlands Day
22 March World Water Day
23 March Earth hour
7 April World Health Day
22 April Earth Day
22 May International Day of Biological Diversity
5 June World Environment Day
8 June World Oceans Day
12 August International Youth Day
1-7 September Arbor week
22 September World Rhino Day
7 October World Habitat Day
16 October World Food Day
10 December Human rights Day
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
21
Please provide me, Linda Downsborough, [email protected] with
written feedback, comments, thoughts, suggestions on this proposed structure,
or perhaps you feel the Bulletin shouldn't carry a rigid structure. Feedback will
be provided in the next Bulletin
◘ The Bulletin will carry a minimum of four articles. Two technical or theoretical articles
and two practical/ practitioner related articles.
◘ There will be a feature/ profile on an EEASA council member in each edition of the
Bulletin, their role within EEASA, the role outside of EEASA, how they view the overall
role and function of EEASA within southern Africa.
◘ There will be a feature on an EEASA member in each edition, profiling what EE
projects that person is involved in, what difference they are making through what
they do and their views on EE and the role it plays/can play.
◘ There will be a materials and new publications section highlighting some of the new/
latest EE publications in southern Africa.
◘ There will be a dedicated conference and events section with news and information
on the annual EEASA conference.
◘ There will be a fun and games section perhaps expanding beyond the wordsearch
◘ I also propose introducing a ‘last word’ section at the very back of the Bulletin which
is a page/ double page of photos from EE events across southern Africa, like the
EEASA 30th birthday photos in this edition of the Bulletin.
Proposed Bulletin Structure
22
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
EEASA president, Dr Justin Lupele (far left) with conference Key Note speakers
EEASA members gather in a Plenary
session at Rhodes University
Tichaona Pesanayi, programme manager of the
SADC REEP launches one of the programmes publications
EEASA 30th
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
23
THE DATE AND VENUE FOR THE NEXT EEASA CONFERENCE IS STILL TO BE DECIDED AND ANNOUNCED
Birthday
And what is an EEASA conference without dancing?
And what is a birth-day without a cake?
Conference programme director,
Lausanne Olvitt cuts the EEASA birthday
cake
GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORSGUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORSGUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORSGUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS
� Any contributions relating to environmental education are welcome. These may include
articles, reports from EE projects, working groups or local networks, activity ideas, resource
reviews, letters, requests, comments, drawings, photographs or creative writing. Please
note that this Bulletin focuses on Environmental Education. Articles about environmental
topics (such as mining, agriculture, water pollution, hunting etc.) must have a clear and
substantial focus on the educational dimension of that topic.
� Articles will be accepted in any official southern African language. If articles are written in a
language other than English, please provide a short English summary.
� Please write articles in a smooth-flowing style suitable for a magazine. Avoid using the
format of a research report or assignment.
� Please have the article carefully proofread for spelling, language and typing errors before
submitting it for publication.
� In order for readers to contact you please include your name, postal address, e-mail address
and telephone and fax numbers.
� Editing will be kept to a minimum. However, where the readability or meaning of an article
is unclear, the editors reserve the right to edit the text.
� If possible please e-mail articles so that we have the electronic copy.
� Please provide a complete reference list if authors or publications are referred to in your
article. Provide surname and initial of author, the title of the article and journal or book,
name of publisher, date and place of publication.
� You are encouraged to include good quality diagrams, drawings, cartoons, photographs and
logos to enhance the text.
� While original articles are preferred, articles published elsewhere will be accepted if they
are of particular interest to readers. Contributors are responsible for obtaining permission
to reprint such articles to ensure that copyright is not infringed. The editor should be
informed as to the source of the article, so this can be acknowledged.
� Articles should not exceed 4 typed pages.
Please send all contributions to:
Sue Walker
EEASA Administrative Secretary, Private Bag X007, Howick, 3290, South Africa
Tel: +27(0)33 330 3931 ; Fax +27(0)33 330 4576; Email: [email protected]
E E A S A B u l l e t i n N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
24
PRESIDENT
Mr Justin Lupele
Environmental Education Re-
search and Training Consultant
P O Box 34363
Lusaka 10101
ZAMBIA
Cell +260 955 561 637 or
+260 978 774 018
SECRETARY GENERAL
Mr Tichaona Pesanayi
SADC REEP
P O Box 394
Howick KZN 3290
Tel 033-3303931
Fax 033-3304576
Cell 082 412 2129
PUBLICATIONS :
JOURNAL
Heila Lotz Sisitka
Rhodes University
P O Box 94
Grahamstown 6140
Tel 046-6038390
Fax 046-6361495
Cell 083 270 4438
PUBLICATIONS:
BULLETIN
Ms Linda Downsborough
Monash South Africa
Private Bag X60
Roodepoort
1725
Tel 011-950 4130
Fax 011–950 4133
linda.downsborough@
monash.edu
And
Dr Wapula Raditloaneng
University of Botswana
Faculty of Education
Private Bag 00702
Gaborone
Botswana
Tel : +267 55 2066
Cell : +267 724 744 03
EEASA NODES
Cornelia Shaimemanya
University of Namibia
Faculty of Education, Depart-
ment of Curriculum
Instruction, and Assessment
Studies
Private Bag 13301
WINDHOEK, Namibia
Tel 061 2063523
Fax 061 2063980
CONFERENCES
(MJ) Mphemelang Joseph
Ketlhoilwe
University of Botswana
P O Box 60178
Gaborone
BOTSWANA
Tel +267 355 5097
Fax +267 318 5096
MEMBERSHIP
Ms Bontle Mokotso
Lesotho National Commission
for UNESCO
WEBSITE MANAGER
Seth Maphalala
Swaziland Environmental
Justice Agenda (SEJA)
P O Box 2842
MBABANE
Swaziland
Tel +2684046420
Fax +2684045034
Cell +2686037711
or
TREASURER
Mr Isaac Gcina Dladla
Environment Information
Officer, Swaziland
Environment Authority
P O Box 2602
MBABANE H100
Swaziland
Tel +268 404 6960
Fax +268 404 1719
Cell +268 661 3773
WEBSITE
SUPPORT
Dr Ravhee Bholah
Science Education Department
School of Science &
Mathematics
Mauritius Institute of
Education, REDUIT
Mauritius
Tel +230 401 6555
Fax +230 467 5159
Cell +230 780 9775
DATABASE MANAGEMENT
Mr Dick Katchilonda
Rhodes University
P O Box 94
Grahamstown 6140
Tel 046-6038390
Cell 073 297 9825
EEASA Committee Details - 2013
