Greening of Formal Education and Raising Public Awareness
65
The islands of Andaman and Nicobar are far away from mainland India. These islands have a
unique ecosystem very different from the rest of the country. But as far as formal education is
concerned, the curriculum has no reference to the island habitat, as the textbooks come from
the mainland. So till 1996, there was no resource material that the teachers and schools could
use to help students understand the unique ecosystem in which they lived. In 1996, a teachers’
handbook was published describing the habitats, flora and fauna, endemic and threatened
species, resources and the lifestyles of the tribal communities living there, as well as the impact
of humans on the islands. This publication was
possible under the Environmental Orientation to
School Education (EOSE) scheme of the Ministry of
Human Resource Development (MHRD), which
recognizes that to be meaningful and relevant,
environmental education needs to be locale-specific,
and supports the development of such programmes
and materials.
It was Kalpavriksh, an environmental action group in
Delhi, and the Andaman and Nicobar Environmental
Action Team, a division of the Madras Crocodile
Bank who had been involved in environmental issues
concerning Andaman and Nicobar since the 1980s,
who decided to use the opportunity provided by
EOSE to develop something for Andaman and
Nicobar. First a bibliography of existing information
on each of the island groups was built up. This was
used to make an outline describing the unique aspects
of the islands. Each section also had relevant activities for students to perform under the
supervision of their teachers. Curricular links were made between the manual and the syllabus.
This experience was later extended to the Lakshadweep islands too. Having been accepted by
the Department of Education, the handbook has become co-curricular material, though it is still
to become a part of the formal learning system.
Relating education in schools to local environmental conditions and needs dates back to the
Basic Education Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937. This thrust has been
reflected in the various Education Policy documents developed subsequently. The New
Education Policy, 1986, addressed the significance of environmental orientation to
education at all levels. It says ‘There is a paramount need to create a consciousness of the
environment. It must permeate all ages and all sections of society, beginning with the child.
Environmental consciousness should inform teaching in schools and colleges. This aspect
will be integrated in the entire educational process.’ More recently, the National Curriculum
for School Education, 2000, also recognizes the importance of EE.
The National Council of Education, Research and Training (NCERT), has been working to
incorporate environmentally relevant components in the curricula and textbooks. This
Environmental Education in India
Catch them Young
Initiatives towards greening education
19
