· No teacher expertise on environmental education
·
Local communities do not understand about environmental problems ·
Breakdown of traditional law during Indonesian occupation. à People lost knowledge of traditional customs that protect the
environment; not supported by government · Breakdown of traditional
environmental assessment and protection. Laws on what can be used (own use
only, not for sale.) · Indonesian invasion imposed
another system of thinking / awareness / law · Difficult to incorporate
traditional law into curriculum · Lack of information about
traditional law and how it varies across East Timor ·
Families not involved in environmental problems · Lack of funding for
environmental education – not seen as a priority · Lack of teaching materials
and curriculum for Environmental Education · People are used to being
told what to do not show initiative, be active, resistance ·
Traditional law · Lack of funding for
Environmental Education · Indonesian system, regional
curriculum – not any more · Social studies had small
part of Environmental Education – some taught, others did not ·
UNICEF proposes to support Environmental Education teacher training and
curriculum development · Many East Timorese teachers
want less chalk and talk · Environmental Education
needs to be active and outdoor · Teachers want the curriculum
to be more local and cultural · Environmental Education into
formal curriculum and subject on its own · Active teaching / learning –
problem solving approach
PRIORITY
ISSUES
|
STRATEGIES |
|
Breakdown of traditional law during Indonesian occupation – lack of information about traditional law -& variations across
East Timor. |
·
Develop EE teaching materials based on local traditional
law ð document law
throughout ET. Specialist environmental educator to work with local teachers
to develop resources. ·
Schools could research traditional law in their local area
and ·
Formal government law needs to be supportive of
traditional law. |
|
Lack of teacher expertise in environmental education and
“active” learning |
·
Team of teachers to work with specialist environmental
educators to develop curriculum + teaching resources ð “train-the trainer”
program to deliver to all East Timor teachers ·
Sister schools programs ·
Teacher exchange program |
|
Lack of funding for environmental education |
·
Prepare a resolution to put to conference recommending EE
be a priority ·
EE members of task force – meet with UNTAET/CNRT for
support ·
Strengthen links with EE groups in Australia ·
Strengthen capacity of national NGOs in EE |
|
Lack of teaching & learning resources, lack of
environmental education curriculum |
·
Environmental studies as a separate subject ·
EE materials across all curriculum areas (maths, science,
language etc) ·
Resources need to promote active learning – perhaps extra-curricula
activities involving family and village |