EDUCATING STUDENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Column: 461

EDUCATING STUDENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: **

(Budget for schools): **

63.

Er Edwin Khew Teck Fook asked the Minister for Education whether his Ministry is considering to set aside budget for schools to teach and be actively involved in educating their students in all expects of the environment and sustainable development.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: MOE recognises the importance of environmental education in the education of our students. Within the existing curriculum, subjects such as Social Studies and Civics and Moral Education promote environmental awareness and responsibility. Through discussions, hands-on activities and self reflection, students learn to appreciate the natural environment and about ways to protect it.

Environmental education is a key focus in Geography which is compulsory subject at the lower secondary level. At the lower secondary level, students study about managing the changing environment in topics like land supply, water resources, pollution, global warming and ozone depletion. At the upper secondary level, students study about climate change, resource depletion, food security, environmental management and sustainable development. These topics are discussed using real-world examples and case studies drawn from both the developed and developing countries.

Outside the classroom, there are several programmes and activities to help raise students' awareness and appreciation of the environment and its management. The Community Involvement Programme in many schools involve students in taking care of the school environment, waste minimisation and nature conservation. Schools have Environmental Clubs whereby students undertake environmental projects like recycling in the schools and the neighbourhoods and participate in programmes like the Seashore Life Programme by NEA and HBSC and the Adopt-A-Park Scheme by NParks. Our schools have also participated in activities such as Clean and Green Week and Earth Day. They have also taken part in competitions like the Green Wave Environmental Care Competition organised by Sembawang Shipyard and National Weather Study Project (NWSP) Competition sponsored by Senoko Power Limited. In the 2007 NWSP Competition, about 67% of our schools took part in the competition. Through their participation in the NWSP Competition, our students are better able to relate the impact of climate change to their daily activities.

Our schools have sufficient funds drawn from their annual budgets to participate in environmental education activities. It is not necessary to provide a separate budget for such activities.