Environmental Environmental Education & Awareness Education & Awareness

in Sabahin Sabah

Susan PudinEnvironment Protection Department

SabahPUSAT Symposium, 15 August 2008

ContentsContents

Introduction Environmental Education (EE) in

Malaysia EE in Sabah

– Sabah Environmental Education Network (SEEN)

– General Evaluation on EE Challenges The Way Forward

IntroductionIntroductionWhat is Environment?

“The Environment is Everything that isn’t Me”

Definition in the Environment Protection Enactment 2002:

“environment” includes –(a) the external physical surroundings and conditions influencing development and growth of people, animals or plants and includes social, living or working conditions;(b) all natural and physical resources;(c) ecosystems and their constituent parts including people and communities; and(d) amenity, aesthetic and cultural values.

IntroductionIntroductionWhat is Environmental Education (EE)?“a process aimed at developing a world population that is aware of and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments and skills to work individually and collectively towards solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones”(Tbilisi Convention, 1977)

IntroductionIntroduction

The efforts to safeguard the environment went through more than four decades of challenges

At present, there are still various pressing issues that require urgent attention in managing our environment despite efforts made on many fronts

EE increasingly promoted as a tool in environmental management

Environmental Education Environmental Education (EE) in Malaysia(EE) in Malaysia

Importance of EE highlighted in the National Policy on the Environment 2002 – Green Strategies on ‘Education & Awareness’

EE addresses environmental challenges (air pollution, water pollution, global warming, littering, etc)

EE - formal and non-formal

Formal Education– Alam dan Manusia (Man and

Environment) was once incorporated in the Malaysian primary school curriculum which began in 1982

– EE Across the Curriculum introduced in 1996

– EE is not taught as a single subject but infused in each subject in schools

Environmental Education (EE) in Malaysia

Formal Education– In the pre-service teacher education

programmes such as The Malaysian Teaching Diploma (DPM) and the Post Graduate Diploma in teaching (KPLI) courses, environmental education is a compulsory subject

– At the tertiary level, environmental science and environment-related courses are offered at degree level by many public universities

Environmental Education (EE) in Malaysia

Non-Formal Education– Various government organisations and

NGOs are involved in implementing EE programmes/activities in all states

Environmental Education (EE) in Malaysia

EE in SabahEE in Sabah Formal – EE Across the Curriculum Implementation of non-formal EE by

various organisations such as –– the Sabah Environment Protection

Department, Department of Environment Malaysia, Sabah Forestry Department, Science and Technology Unit, Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre, Sabah Education Department and other environment-related organisations.

Focus by implementers:– Organisational roles & responsibilities– Focused areas

Drawing, colouring, bicycle rallies, jungle trekkings, environmental camps, mural drawings, environmental seminars, composting, recycling, quizzes

Sabah Forestry Department

Talks, exhibitions, nature games, nature arts, radio talks and quizzes, environmental camps, seminars, workshops and dialogues, SERASI

Department of Environment Malaysia

Talks, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, recycling activities, radio talks, quizzes, drawing and colouring contests, publication of articles in newspapers, cleanliness activities, SERASI

Sabah Environment Protection Department

Programme/ActivityOrganisation

Sekolah Lestari, Environmental Science Quiz, 3K Competition (cleanliness, health and safety), environmental workshops and courses, SERASI

Sabah Education Department

Slide presentations, talks, video shows, interpretative walks along the boardwalks, mud walks, environmental and nature games, bird watching, radio talks, mangrove replanting

Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre

Talks, exhibition, radio talks, seminars, symposiums, workshops, fieldtrips, conferences

Science and Technology Unit

Programme/ActivityOrganisation

Have you seen SEEN?

Launched on 17 March 2005 The aim of SEEN is to enhance

environmental communication, education and awareness efforts in Sabah through networking, co-operation and co-ordination among all relevant organisations.

28 members EPD – SEEN Secretariat

SEEN membersSEEN members Jabatan Perlindungan Alam Sekitar (Urus

Setia SEEN) Jabatan Alam Sekitar Persekutuan Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran Jabatan Pelajaran Sabah Jabatan Hidupan Liar Unit Sains dan Teknologi Taman-Taman Sabah Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu Jabatan Perikanan Sabah Kementerian Kerajaan Tempatan dan

Perumahan Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar

SEEN membersSEEN members Kementerian Belia dan Sukan Jawatankuasa Tindakan Alam Sekitar Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society

(Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre) Yayasan Sabah (Kelab Pencinta Alam

Sabah) Sabah Environmental Protection

Association Malaysian Nature Society – Sabah Branch WWF Malaysia (Borneo Programme) Institut Perguruan – Keningau, Tuaran,

Gaya dan Tawau Partners for Community Organisation

(PACOS) HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang utan

Conservation Project OISCA International Sabah Society Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Activities by SEEN membersActivities by SEEN members Various Activities:

– SERASI, Radio Talks, gotong-royong, composting, talks, exhibitions, colouring & drawing competition, environmental camps, etc

EE Trainings for members’ representatives

Teachers’ Trainings (e.g. EE Race)

Conference (November 2008)

Activities by SEEN membersActivities by SEEN members Some environment-related celebrations

commemorated by members:– World Wetlands Day– Earth Day– World Environment Day– World Forestry Day– Malaysian Environment Week

Tree/Flower Planting

Environmental campComposting

Talks & Exhibitions

Environmental Games

Colouring contest

Radio talk/quiz

Gotong-Royong

Paper Making

Sekolah Rakan Alam Sekitar (SERASI)

General evaluation of overall General evaluation of overall EE programmes: EPDEE programmes: EPD

Responses of EE programmes from target groups are encouraging

Co-operation among government agencies, private sectors & NGOs enhanced

Increased number of schools/higher institutions/NGOs applying for environmental grants

Increased public awareness on environmental protection and roles of EPD

General evaluation of overall EE General evaluation of overall EE programmes: DOEprogrammes: DOE

Through the implementation of environmental camps, students’ knowledge on environmental and pollution issues in Malaysia has increased.

Invitation to conduct environmental talks has increased by 100% in 2006 compared to 2003.

Increased number of grant applications received from schools to implement EE activities.

General evaluation of overall EE General evaluation of overall EE programmes: Rainforest Discovery programmes: Rainforest Discovery

Centre, SFDCentre, SFD Post-course initiatives by teachers such as

greening the school, recycling programmes, etc are considered as indicators that the teachers’ courses have achieved the intended objectives to some extent

During courses for teachers, RDC identifies resource teachers who are potential facilitators for future programmes. This is one of the ways to keep the teachers’ enthusiasm going after the course

Some students who have visited RDC have indicated that their visits have helped them decide which course to take up at the university

ChallengesChallenges to win broader support for EE changing people’s attitude generating action for environment limited funding duplication of activities lack of skills lack of co-ordination evaluation & monitoring

The Way Forward…The Way Forward… The way forward for EE in Sabah - to

steer EE in a more co-ordinated manner at all levels of implementation

SEEN provides an avenue to find better solutions to challenges

EE and Enforcement to complement each other

With the spirit of co-operation and full commitment, SEEN will be able to fruitfully achieve its aim and ultimately, to provide the protection the Environment truly deserves.

Together For a Better

Environment!