OVER 250 teachers recently participated in an environmental workshop to learn techniques and strategies to infuse environmental education in the school curricula, using the School’s Environment Programme (SEP) manual as a guide.

The teachers were drawn from 213 schools across the island.

Under the theme ‘Environmental Infusion’, the teachers – armed with the revised primary schools’ curriculum being introduced in schools, as well as the ROSE curricula and CXC syllabuses – met in groups and with the use of the SEP manual, planned lessons and made presentations showing the innovative ways they hoped to impart environmental education in their classrooms.

Additionally, a three day intensive workshop was held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios where 40 teachers worked on the techniques of visioning for a sustainable future, auditing and action planning in the development of sustainable schools in Jamaica. The group then participated in effecting the correlation of the SEP manual with the various school curricula and syllabuses.

Main presenters were representatives from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture and the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC).

The teachers welcomed the sessions and many expressed the wish for similar workshops in the future.

“We really appreciate this infusion exercise as it will make it easier for the entire school community to become more aware of environmental practices. In the past, some teachers regarded this effort as an additional chore,” one teacher said.

Phyllis Reynolds, assistant chief education officer and head of the Core Curriculum Unit at the education ministry led the team from that ministry.

“We are really pleased to be a part of this important exercise which will ultimately make our young people better stewards of their environment,” Reynolds said. “This series of workshops will definitely help teachers to use the material in the SEP manual to support environmental concepts in the curricula.”

Other presenters from the ministry were Sheryl Gardner, Jennivie Tracey, Herma Meade, Erma Hutton and Lorna Thompson.

SEP is the largest environmental education programme in Jamaica and has the assistance of 17 non-governmental organisations across the island. Funding comes from donor agencies including the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ); the British High Commission; Canada/Jamaica Green Fund; Jamaica Energy Partners; and the ENACT programme.

SEP has increased its membership from 279 last year to 316 this year. The schools continue to work with the categories of the programme – Managing Garbage; Greening the School; Environmental Research; and the forming of an Environmental Club.