Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

Nepal: Environmental education and awarenessas elements of the National Conservation StrategyBadri Dev PandeAbstractA National Conservation Strategy was adopted by the Government ofNepal in 1988. In the project to implement the strategy, theenvironmental education programme has assisted the educationauthorities in preparing and testing classroom materials thatincorporate environmental elements in existing and new courses forprimary and secondary schools. The programme has also helped toorganize conferences to elaborate national policy, teacher trainingactivities, the preparation of curricula and textbooks, and the inclusionof environmental education in the training of extension workers.Collaboration with non-governmental organizations and a variety ofawareness-raising initiatives have proved valuable.IntroductionNepal was one of the first countries to adopt the World ConservationStrategy recommendation to prepare a National Conservation Strategy(NCS). The NCS was completed in 1987 after nearly three years of work andendorsed as a policy by the government in 1988. Environmental education(EE) is a key element of the strategy and from the outset has been promotedby the Environmental Education Programme (EEP) of the NCSImplementation Project.Government support continues in the face of seriously deterioratingenvironmental conditions in the country. The Eighth Five-year Plan (1992-97) includes a provision for EE at all levels of formal education, technicaleducation, teacher training, non-formal adult education and in-serviceprogrammes. The National Education Commission has identified instructionin the prudent use of natural resources and in conservation of the nationalheritage as a responsibility of the education system.The Five-year Plan also stresses the need to use mass media to raise publicawareness of the issues. A newly-formed Environment Protection Councilheaded by the Prime Minister can issue directives to government agenciesand encourage the private sector in promotion of these goals. IUCN assiststhe National Planning Commission and its Environment and ResourceConservation Division to coordinate NCS implementation, including EE andawareness-raising, now under way at many levels.Taking advantage of these positive policies of the government towards EE,143