Directives to schools regarding Environmental Education from Class I-VIII

Kindly refer to the circular no: 08/2005 dated lst February, 2005 inviting your attention to the introduction of Environmental education as a compulsory subject in schools. You are aware that it is being increasingly realized all over the world that living a harmonious and healthy life on this planet Earth is man’s greatest need. In keeping with this concern the Hon’ble supreme court had directed NCERT to develop a model syllabus of Environmental Education as a compulsory subject in a graded manner. NCERT has recommended that a value based action oriented course of Environmental education would lead from knowledge to feeling and finally to appropriate action. There is a need to develop a graded, action oriented, value based course in Environmental Education for a1l the classes I levels of schooling in such a way that it addresses the general environment concerns without adding to the curricular load.

The Central CBSE Board of Secondary Education has already forwarded a syllabus of Environmental Education in schools from classes I-XII which aims at generating among young learners an awareness of and sensitivity to the total environment in a holistic manner.

The main focus of EE is to expose students to the actual world they live in. They have to be acquainted with the environment related issues and problems. They must also be able to look at the environment problems and concerns, analyse, evaluate, draw inferences and equip themselves to resolve them. Thus the objectives of EE need to focus not only on knowledge but more importantly on generating awareness, developing attitudes, values and skills and promoting education and action among children at all levels of school education. By implication learning would not remain limited to the classroom alone but extend much beyond it.

I. Elementary Levels (Classes I & II)

1. Curriculum

2. Text Books

3. Transaction

In classes I & II, the curriculum for EE can become a part and parcel of language, mathematics and the Art of Healthy and Prorluctive Living’

There is no need for a separate text book for EE in these classes’

ln Classes I & II the entire transaction needs to be woven around the child’s immdiate environment, and it must also be built upon the child’s inherent curiosity, observation and the ability to corelate at that age. There need to be numerous activities to enable children to translate awareness into effective behavioural action.

4. Evaluation

Grading of children’s performance is preferred in assessing the qualitative aspects of the subject. At this stage no formal evaluation is recommended.

•  Primary level (Classes III-V)

•  Curriculum

The curriculum of EE in standards III to V needs to place a greater emphasis on students carrying out activities in their local environment and development of habits and values.

2. Text Books

In Classes III to V no separate text books need to be provided. The content and the themes for these classes has already been detailed in the syllabus. The concepts could be developed fiom the existing books of environmental sciences in order to usher in enhanced sensitivity to the themes outlined in the syllabus.

3. Transaction

A greater focus is needed to develop skills, proper habits and positive attitudes towards environment. Teachers may innovate and design activities suitable to their own surrounding and level of interest of children.

4. Evaluation

The evaluation practices need to be both informal and formal in Classes III to V. The focus at this stage would be on assessment of socio/emotional development and behavioural patterns of the learners besides their cognitive learning. Continuous and comprehensive evaluation using learners profiles and assigning them grades would be desirable. Periodical assessment may be utilized for diagnosis as well as for planning remedial measures.

III. Upper Primary Level (Classes V I - VnD

1. Curriculurn

The curriculum of EE at the upper primary level needs to focus on affective and conative components by providing additional inputs in the form of investigation, project work and co-scholastic activities.

2. Text Books

The information and the level of sensitivity required to be provided may need additional support in the form of textual or other support materials. The content of EE for various classes has already been enumerated in the syllabus document. The content needs to be further strengthened in its cognitive, affective and conative components by providing additional inputs in the form of investigations, projects and co-scholastic activities.

3. Transaction

Every child from the upper primary levels onwards should be provided with the opportunity to participate in at least one nature/outdoor field visit experience. The content and transaction of EE needs to recognize, acknowledge, respect and celebrate all forms of diversity and local contextuality.

4. Evaluation

The assessment of learners’ achievement in EE would encompass all the three aspects of development, i.e. cognitive, affective and conative. Both process and product evaluation techniques will need to be used. These will help in ascertaining the growth, patterns, identification of strengths and weaknesses as also in utilizing systematic feedback for development of environment friendly habits, positive attitudes and desirable values amongst learners. Continuous and comprehensive evaluation using learners’ profiles and assigning them grades would be desirable. Proper records of learners’ progress would need to be maintained and their profiles, so developed, would be utilzed for effecting improvement leading to desirable understanding and behavioural actions towards the environment. The pedagogy of EE in all the classes will have to be based on local contextuality, indigenous knowledge, experiential learning strategies, multi-disciplinary approaches, project based-methods and action oriented practical assignments. The Central CBSE Board of Secondary Education is also in the process of finalizing guidelines to teachers for Classes I to VIII which will be available shortly.