‘Environment education not enough; must bring nature into classroom’

While schools have included environment in their curriculum, naturalists have criticised the institutions for making environment studies just another subject with tests and lectures.

While schools have included environment in their curriculum, naturalists have criticised the institutions for making environment studies just another subject with tests and lectures.

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Speaking at the award ceremony of the GreenLine campaign, an environment education project for students, Sanjay Monga, Mumbai based naturalist writer said that schools need to discard the textbook and exam oriented approach to environmental studies and bring nature into the classrooms. “Instead of studying it just for the marks, teachers need to inculcate an interest for nature amongst the students so that they take the subject seriously,” he said.

Monga added that students are so busy with academics that they rarely have time for awareness programmes on environment. “I have to seek appointments with schools three months in advance if I want to conduct such a programme. In fact, one of the reasons we stopped the Young Rangers Club was that students did not have the time to participate in the club and its nature-exploring activities, other than weekends,’’ he said.

Trying to overcome these problems, the GreenLine campaign which is part of the environment forum of the Don Bosco Development Society, has helped schools in setting up Nature Clubs within the school campus. “Various activities such as waste management, planting trees, developing butterfly gardens and other programmes are conducted by such clubs,’’ said Savio Silveria, director, GreenLine.

At the event, St Joseph School bagged the Greenest School Award for efficient waste management.