Role of School in Environment Protection b.ed notes

 

Role of School in Environment Protection

The school is a major center of formal education. Here the student does not only get knowledge, but the school takes care of the development of the complete personality of the student. 

Along with the cognitive side, the emotional and functional side of the student also keeps on developing in the school. The child's interest, curiosity, imagination, attitude and aptitude should be developed in different areas - for this the curriculum, environment and curriculum of the school.

Co-curricular activities are organized on the basis of age, intelligence and ability of the child. A child also has a natural tendency to acquire or learn something along with the knowledge embedded within the textbooks. 

The yearning to know, understand and see the world in which he lives is always present in him. He wants to become familiar with his environment, to uncover its secrets and to identify himself with it. 

The school also wants the child to be fully familiar with his home and school environment and actively associate himself with it so that his outlook towards the environment is broadened and his understanding and attitude are developed.

 

The incident of environmental destruction that happens outside the school has an impact on the students and teachers of the school. Felling of a tree, change in topography, any kind of pollution in water and air, death of naturally living animals, destruction of vegetation growing nearby and destructive attitude of a person towards the environment is a matter of concern for a student. 

When this feeling arises in the mind of the student that his environment should be attractive, pure, stimulating and prosperous, then the feeling of protection of the environment also arises in his mind. He wants to be satisfied by talking to his parents, elders and teachers regarding the usefulness of the environment and its conservation.

Earlier, there was no subject of environment in the curriculum of schools, but for the last two decades, the world's scientists, environmentalists and the governments of every country are worried about environmental destruction and serious emphasis has been laid on the programs of environmental protection. 

Environment is being given importance in the curriculum of primary, secondary and higher education and awareness of environmental protection is being developed. Governments of various countries are engaged in making arrangements for the study and teaching of the environment by changing the curriculum wherever there is scope for it.

 

Role of school in environment protection and sustainable development

Our physical, social, psychological, economic, cultural and educational environment is losing its natural form in many ways. Disorder has arisen in the natural possibilities, singularities and powers of the environment. Mother Earth is sad. Water, vegetation, sky and air are victims of pollution. 

For the benefit of profit, the market forces have made the organs of Mother Earth as commercial items. In such an odd situation, it is necessary that through the curriculum and programs in the school, the role of the school in environmental protection and its sustainable development should be ensured.

Here it is also necessary to understand 'environment-protection' and 'sustainable development of environment'. 

Environmental protection means maintaining the natural form of the environment in one way or the other and 'sustainable development of the environment' indicates that our attitude and our actions should be such that we can handle the environment, Can nurture it, take care of it and contribute to its development. The greater the tolerance towards the environment, the greater will be the sense of environmental protection. Due to the role of schools in the protection of the environment and its sustainable development, the destruction of the environment can be prevented to some extent.

 

The contribution of the school in environmental protection and its sustainable development can be in the following form-

1. The attitude of the school principal and teachers themselves towards the environment should be positive, inquisitive, encouraging and generous. They should be nature lovers and have a romantic attachment towards nature. Unless the principal and teachers of the school themselves do not understand the importance of environment in life, they will not be able to inspire their students in that direction.

2. Class – At the time of teaching, information should be given about the things related to the environment, such as mountains, forests, rivers, seas, wind, land, animals and plants, by looking for an opportunity. 

The importance of Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Himalaya and Gangasagar should be told interestingly. The religious and scientific importance of Peepal, Kadamba, Neem, Mango, Tulsi etc. should be highlighted. Why and how the elements of nature are necessary for our life, this experience should be given to the students from time to time in the class. The harms and effects of environmental pollution should be explained with examples.

3. The students should be given information about the environment around the school through short excursions. The students should be taken out of the school occasionally to know about the fields, rivers, streams, forests, mountains, houses, parks, gardens, markets, etc. around the place where the school is located, and their topics should be discussed. I should tell them. Due to this, the attachment of the students with the immediate surroundings of their school will be done.

 

4. Planned teaching- During the session, one, two, three, four or five days excursion program should be made for the students to visit natural places outside the district where they can see and understand the environment in detail.

5. Where there is a suitable place in the school, trees and plants should be planted by the students. Seasonal flowers should be planted in the school beds and a beautiful garden should be developed according to the convenience of the school.

6. The school library should have literature related to birds, animals, rivers, mountains etc. and environment related literature so that teachers and students can take advantage of it.

7. Speech competition, essay competition, drama, chart and poster competition should be organized from time to time in the school on subjects related to environment. The winners of the competition should be rewarded.

8. An environment-exhibition must be organized in the school once a year, in which environment-related elements, materials, consequences of environmental destruction and environmental protection measures should be demonstrated. Environment related slides should be displayed.

 

9. From the point of view of environmental protection, students should take out an environment-awareness tour in the society, during which they should raise slogans related to environment and write slogans related to environment on the walls.

10. 'Earth Day' should be organized in the school on 21st April and 'Environment-Day' on 5th June in which programs related to environment should be organized.

11. 'Environment-Protection Workshop' should be organized at the development block level or at the district level, in which at least one teacher from each school interested in the environment must participate. In this workshop, programs should be taken on problems related to environmental protection.