Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

Planning education to care for the earthworking in partnership enhances the capacity of the NGOs involved.Secondly, without the help of NGOs, the NCS project would find it difficultto provide timely technical assistance to government agencies implementingthe NCS. NGOs are thus involved in running programme components inwhole or in part. For instance, one NGO assisted in preparing illustrationsfor environmental education primers for primary schools and a journalists’forum prepared and distributed the wall newspaper.Lessons learnedAn environmental education activity should be integrated with anongoing programme to make the maximum impact.At the initial stage, the IUCN EEP personnel played a more activerole than their counterparts from implementing agencies in launchingnew components of the environmental education and awarenessprogramme. This resulted in a lessening of the commitment of theagencies concerned. Of late, EEP personnel have been playing a lowkeyrole and this has encouraged the implementing agencies to bemore active and to feel a greater sense of involvement. EEP staff arenow convinced that in order to ensure the success and sustainability ofany environmental education and awareness programme, totalcommitment and involvement on the part of the implementingagencies is necessary.Workshops and seminars organized in connection with a particularactivity serve as good coordination mechanisms, bringing theconcerned parties together to engage in important discussions.Partnership with NGOs is valuable in securing timely technicalassistance.Environmental education materials, if well thought out and prepared,can be sold to cover the cost of printing.148