Climate change education to become crucial part of national curriculum – Education Minister

in keeping with the President’s vision of promoting a “green Guyana”, Minister of Education Rupert Roopnaraine has proposed the introduction of “green classrooms” which would bring the country closer to achieving its goals by placing more emphasis on climate change within the school curriculum.

The minister was at the time delivering remarks at an awards ceremony for outstanding educators at the National Cultural Centre on Monday.

While noting that the ministry is mulling a review of the curriculums offered in Guyana, Roopnaraine informed that it is their aim to not only focus on the central activities offered in schools but rather to integrate environmental learning.

Since climate change and greening the environment is one of the more topical issues currently trending worldwide, being that its effects are not limited to specific countries only, Roopnaraine called for much thought to be given in introducing green classroom learning.

This he believes would place Guyana at a better point of accomplishing its vision of having a country that is more sustainable and green through initiatives for this cause.

Nothing that classroom learning is fundamental to effecting changes in a nation since education is the gateway to development, Roopnaraine mentioned that this would be a step forward for the country as it relates to educating the population about safe environmental habits.

“President Granger talks about a green economy and greening Guyana and we know to create a green Guyana we have to green our classrooms, which means that we have to elevate climate change, climate literacy, and environmental literacy” the minister stated.

He added that work has already began to this effect as the ministry is aiming to have climate change education become a more crucial part of the national curriculum as they believe this would be a valuable method of relaying information that would bring about transformation.

Alluding to recent programmes by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) known as the Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development, Roopnaraine called for Guyana to take pattern of this since it would ensure a more central role of the environment in classroom teaching.

This, he said, would also make the topic more crucial as part of the country’s global response to climate change.

“We need to enhance and intensify the programmes in the classroom to increase climate literacy among young people and the only way that we can do this is by encouraging innovative teaching projects that would integrate climate change into the schools” the minister noted.

To make this possible, he stated, the country should “work hard on building networks, partnerships” since “we need to understand the work of greening the classroom and greening Guyana is going to be the most important work that we can do in the years to come”

As climate change has arrived on top of the agenda for immediate worldwide intervention, UNESCO had initiated its COP21 Conference in Paris which saw leaders from across the world signing up to become advocates in their country for promoting a green environment.

President David Granger had signed on to this indicating that he would introduce initiatives that would promote a green world.