10 Mar 2014

Without the environment to nurture and sustain human beings existence cannot be guaranteed, says the chief education officer in the Department of Curriculum Development and Evaluation.

Mr Molaodi Menyatso said it was against this background that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development had endeavoured to teach environmental education in schools.

Mr Menyatso was speaking in Gaborone recently at the Environmental Education (EE) fair hosted by Itumeleng Primary School in conjunction with Miss Earth 2014 finalists. The fair was held under the theme Poverty Eradication a Kkey to Sustainable and Conducive Environment.”

He said without the involvement of children in environmental issues, sustainability would be compromised, noting that EE helped learners to appreciate the interdependence of the society, environment and the economy.

Mr Menyatso called for the promotion of EE in schools for the benefit of generations to come. “We have only one earth, where would we go if we destroy it”, he quizzed

The purpose of the fair was to sensitise people on issues of Environmental Education and how natural environment function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behaviour and ecosystems.

Miss Earth 2014 beauty queens gave out school uniforms, stationery, lunch boxes, school bags and blankets to the twenty five children of which ten are housed in childline. The initiative was sponsored by among others Tswana Spar and Mascom.

The school also took the initiative to “go green” by planting trees and flowers in their efforts of greening their environment. They also have an EE garden which comprises an orchard, vegetable plots and a recycle station.

Highlights for the day were school children wearing recycled costumes using plastics and cardboard on a fashion parade, while reciting environmental messages, poetry and dance. Stalls from different organisations were set up among others Tshole Trust, Mokolodi Nature Reserve and Recycle Botswana. Ends