Tap youth for environmental education: exec
The young can teach much as far as environmental education is concerned, for in many ways, they can tell adults what they should do to keep the environment healthy, an environment official said.
Samson Guillergan, chief of Pollution Control Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 6, told members of the newly-organized Regional Inter-agency Committee on Environmental Education that the youth must be deeply involved in environmental education by integrating environmental-related curricula, programs and activities in schools.
He said the involvement of schools in environmental education is being given strength by the Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, which mandates concerted interagency efforts in environmental education.
Under this law, agencies like the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Social Science and Technology, DENR and other relevant agencies are tasked to lead in program implementation that also includes institutionalization, training, and capacity-building for educators/trainers.
DENR 6 Legal and Environmental Education Division chief Jonathan Bulos said the agency has put up the DENR Youth Desk which includes programs like Eco-Corps and YES-Camp to mobilize the youth.
Eco-Corps is an eight-module of 52-hour lectures and hands-on exercises on community work on various environmental issues, incorporated in the schools’ National Service Training Program’s Civic Welfare Training Services.
The YES-Camp or Youth for Environment Summer Camp, now on its sixth year, is jointly conducted by DepEd for the high school and for the college with CHED and the Office of Student Services of universities and colleges.*PIA
