The world leaders at the Conference of Parties (COP 26) is for tackling climate crisis and restoring biodiversity and environment. However, back home the leaders forget that green environment should start from school days and this is quite evident from the fact that nearly half (47 per cent) of national curriculum framework for 100 countries have no reference to climate change.
A new UNESCO data warns that education systems across the World do not currently address the gravity of climate crisis. It said that 53 percent of the national curricula of 100 countries mentioned climate change in their document but the depth of inclusion was minimal.
Further, the agency said that fewer than 40 percent of the teachers surveyed by UNESCO and Education International were confident in teaching about the severity of climate change and only one third felt able to explain the effects of climate change on their region or locality.
Meanwhile, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said that climate crisis was no longer the threat of a distant future but a global reality. “There is no solution without education. Every learner needs to understand climate change, and be empowered to be part of the solution and every Teacher given the knowledge to teach about it. States must mobilize for this.”
KEY FINDINGS IN THE DATA
- Countries most likely include climate change content are those in regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as opposed to the largely responsible for the emissions causing climate change.
- In a review of the profiles of 20 countries on climate change communication and education, it was found that efforts are mainly focused at the primary and secondary education levels (90 percent). Fewer countries have frameworks to support climate change education in technical and vocational and training (70 percent) and teacher training education ( 55 per cent)
- A recent survey showed that nearly 95 percent of teachers believed that it is important or very important to teach about the severity of climate change and its effects. But fewer than 40 per cent were confident in teaching it and only about one third felt able to explain well the effects of climate change on their region or locality.
- About 40 per cent of teachers are confident in teaching the cognitive dimensions of climate change but only about one fifth can explain well how to take action.
- Only About 40 per cent of teachers are confident in teaching can explain well how to take action
- Only 55 per cent of teachers are reported that they had received training on climate change.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Climate change should be a core curriculum component in every country.
- Greater focus on climate change content is needed in the curriculum of countries most responsible for climate change
- Climate change education should be integrated across all levels and disciplines of learning.
- Teachers and school leaders need to be prepared to teach Climate change
- Climate change education must equally focus on “head, heart and hands
- Climate change education should be woven in into diverse aspects of countries’ policies and programmes.
- Ministers of education and environment should work to boost climate change education.