Environmental Education now part of curriculum

from Manila Bulletin

CONSISTENT with the policy of the State to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology and cognizant of the vital role of the youth and the education sector in nation-building, the Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008 (Republic Act No. 9512) was enacted on December 12, 2008.

All public and private schools are now required to integrate environmental education in their curricula on all levels, including barangay daycare, pre-school, non-formal technical vocational, professional, indigenous learning, and out-of-school youth courses or programs.

The law, that declared November every year as Environmental Awareness Month, cites environmental concepts, principles, and laws; the state of international and local environmental degradation and its impact on human well-being; the responsibility of all citizens to the environment; and the value of conservation, protection, and rehabilitation of our natural resources and the environment in the context of sustainable development. Previously, it was voluntary on the part of schools to integrate environmental issues, protection, and conservation in their lessons.

With the enactment of Republic Act No. 9512, there is hope that the current and future generations of Filipinos will be more appreciative of our environment and more aware and involved in ensuring that our ecological resources are conserved and safeguarded. The law enjoins the youth to become more responsible and responsive citizens, committed to the conservation and protection of the natural legacy of this planet, not only within the periphery of their schools but also in their communities.

Higher educational institutions, in particular, would do well to encourage their faculty and students, especially those in relevant disciplines, to undertake studies that can provide valuable and viable inputs to policymakers relative to environmental protection and conservation. Republic Act No. 9512, which comes at a time when the world is plagued by the damaging effects of global warming and climate change, will help produce "a new generation of Filipinos" who will be more concerned, protective, and nurturing of our ecosystem.