The Community Environmental Development Network (CEDEN) a Non Governmental Organisation, has commenced advocacy for implementation of the non-formal Environmental Education Curriculum in schools in the South-East and South South.
The Coordinator CEDEN, Mr Menidin Egbo, said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa.
Egbo disclosed that the philosophy of the Curriculum was derived from the national policy on education, which specifies producing people who can apply knowledge to improvement in the Environment.
He said that the ingredient of the public awareness and action on the environment, the national environmental education curriculum aimed at focusing on the elements of the environment and their interaction and interdependence.
“It is an educational intervention about the environment and for the environment,” he said.
He said that consideration was therefore given to the environment in its totality including both natural and man-made ones.
“The overall outcome of the national Environmental Education curriculum is a citizenry that is to apply Environmental knowledge skills and commitment to evaluate and promote Environmental quality and sustainable development,” he said.
He said that the Curriculum had three major objectives for all categories of learners within the formal and non-formal sectors of the educational system.
“These are acquiring knowledge and understanding of sensitivity to the total Environmental and its allied problems and humanity’s responsible present and role in it.
“Also, developing skills in investigating and evaluating ecological, political, economic, social, aesthetic and educational factors for solving Environmental problems.
“Developing attitudes, values and strong feelings of concern for the Environment and the motivation for actively participating in its protection and improvement,” he said.
On her part, Miss Jenny George, CEDEN Programme Coordinator, said the project was targeted at establishing a pilot effort to implement the non-formal Environmental Education curriculum for the South-East South-South geo- political zone.
She said that the curriculum was adopted and made public way back in 1997 and virtually left abandoned.
George, said 36 local actors across community leaders, farmers and teachers including women, youths, men and people with disabilities) are to benefit.
She said CEDEN, a network of non-governmental/community-based organizations, was registered by the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation on Dec.12, 2005.
According to her, the coalition operates in Rivers and Bayelsa.
Responding, Mr Nathan Nwakamma, the State Correspondence NAN Yenagoa office, commended the efforts of the organisation as he promised to work with them.
He highlighted the needs for the environment to be preserved for the benefit of humanity and mankind.