In an effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of the delivery of science education, the Education Ministry is reviewing its curricula for primary and secondary schools to include interactive lessons that focus on climate change awareness.
This drive is being executed in partnership with several agencies, including UNESCO, the Office of Climate Change, Conservation International, the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Guyana (UG), the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), the Agriculture Ministry, and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences.
Proposals have been drafted, in collaboration with the Office of Climate Change, for technical assistance in the development of learning resources for the integration of climate change in the science and social studies curricula. These resources are: teachers’ module, interactive DVD on climate change, lesson plans, interactive booklet for students, and practical activities’ booklet.
Teachers of Anna Regina Multilateral, Region Two, conducting a practical activity related to climate change
In a move to ensure students and teachers develop an appreciation for environmental protection through biodiversity, “management and its role in addressing climate change”, a television series is being developed in collaboration with Conservation International (Guyana), which is also funding the project, targeting students from grades nine to 12. The series also provides information to the public on key topics, such as “how our planet works”, “what we need to do to protect our environment” and “perspectives of developing countries on climate change” An interactive booklet – “Let’s Learn about Climate Change”, authored by Dr Paulette Bynoe and Denise Simmons of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences – was distributed to secondary schools during the last academic year. With assistance from UNICEF, this book will be upgraded and more widely circulated.
The authors say the booklet is intended to heighten awareness and enhance citizens’ knowledge of climate change – a global environmental threat.
The ministry is also working closely with the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), which has overall responsibility for managing the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project. The overall objective of this project is to abate climate change (carbon sequestration through reforestation and forest preservation) and to mitigate its effects by strengthening the sea defence.
The project includes rehabilitation, protection, and sustainable use of mangroves; their monitoring, and the enforcement of forest legislation; mangrove research, public awareness and education; policy and legislation reviews. The MAC website www.mangrovesgy.org was launched at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) earlier this year, in keeping with the government’s thrust to promote the use of technology to access public information.
UG is also in the process of developing an interactive booklet on Mangroves for primary school pupils.
Recently, science workshops conducted in the regions focused on practical activities that can be done to abate the effects of climate change.
