Environmental education at the Dhara Children Academy

One of the first schools in India to introduce environmental awareness and education as part of the curriculum

In emerging economies and developing countries, sometimes you don't need huge financial resources to improve the environmental picture. Many measures would be free and easy to implement.  However, they require there to be greater awareness amongst the local population.  Thanks to the recently introduced environmental education lessons at the DCA, the school has become a forerunner in India.

Piles of rubbish as far as the eye can see

Whilst on our project trip to India, we were shocked at the extent of the pollution levels which still exist in the 20th century. 

We're not talking about one or two carelessly deposited plastic bottles here. You don't need a particularly good nose to find the smell of discarded rubbish unbearable. 

The streets and dried out drains fill with rubbish and you often have to be careful where you walk - the local people live in a badly polluted environment.   

Piles of rubbish in India

Ignorance of environmental topics

Lacking environmental protection is not only attritbutable to the poor financial situation of emerging economies.  People don't need to spend money in order to do their bit.  A pre-requisite, however, is a certain degree of understanding for the environment. So, yet again, it is a question of financing:

How do you make people aware of environmental issues in a country where every third citizen is so poorly educated that they cannot read or write?

Environmental education ensuring greater awareness among the next generation

So that society can begin to do its bit and so that environmental topics are brought into the political sphere going forward, the next generation must be made aware of the environmental issues at play. 

In order to pass on this knowledge to the children and to make them aware of the issues, we have teamed up with the 'Dhara Children Academy' to introduce environmental education at school.

During these lessons, the children will not only be made aware of the various issues but will also gain an insight into the contextual specifics of nature's cycle and the consequences of their own actions as well as some concrete tips for everyday life

Environmental education ensuring greater awareness among the next generation in India

During the lesson, they also focus on the practical level: rubbish collection campaigns and reforestation days and reforestation as part of the classes should bring the topic to life.  The new solar panel plant on the roof of the school is particularly useful when it comes to thematising the topic of alternative energy sources and sustainability.

garbage collection as part of the environmental education in india
reforestation as part of the environmental education in india

 

Additionally, the school has also introduced a new rubbish recycling system.  Up until now, the preferred method for rubbish disposal in India involved simply throwing the rubbish into the street and burning it. At the 'Dhara Children Academy', they collect, sort and then recycle or dispose of the rubbish. 

environmental education in india
environmental education in india

Project Goals:

  • Make people aware of environmental topics relevant to the local areas
  • Raise awareness of current environmental issues
  • Development of viable courses of action within the environmental protection sector which are can be implemented on a daily basis

 

Project Period:

  • As of August 2017