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Table of Contents
Overview
Fiji is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean consisting of more than 330 islands and 540 islets that is part of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Environmental education is recognized in the Environmental Management Act and several other policy plans. Environmental education is integrated across various subjects in the national curriculum.
Policy & Practice
National Policy
Fiji’s primary legislation on the environment is the Environmental Management Act 2005. The act calls for the establishment of environmental and resource management units whose mandate includes providing education and awareness of environmental and resource issues.
Aspects of environmental education are included in other national policies and strategic plan documents. The Ministry of Waterways and Environment’s strategic plan includes increased advocacy and public awareness of environmental challenges as a key objective. Meanwhile, the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan includes an objective to conduct national education and awareness activities on the importance of biodiversity, including developing messages and materials tailored for school children and other educational resources for use in the school system.
EE in K-12 Education
Fiji’s National Curriculum Framework includes environmental education for sustainability as a key curricula perspective and environmental content is incorporated into the syllabi of subjects such as science, social science, and geography. The content includes areas such marine science, climate change, and waste. In 2012, the Curriculum Development Unit of the Ministry of Education started work on incorporating climate change and disaster risk management into basic and social science, geography, agriculture, industrial arts and home economics curricula.
Professional Development
The Ministry of Education offers in-service training opportunities for teachers and many teachers take courses through the University of the South Pacific. The University of the South Pacific offers several environment related programs, such as diploma and bachelors in environmental science and environmental management. The university also hosts the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD), a environmental education, research and community engagement centre that also offers capacity building and training opportunities.
Additional professional development resources are available in the form of training manuals for teachers to integrate environmental education in curriculum. For example, a joint project between Live & Learn Environmental Education, the Curriculum Development Unit of the Ministry of Education, and Fijian Teachers Association produced a teachers’ manual under the Green Schools Fiji program. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), a regional programme, also produced a teacher’s manual and learning course materials for different education levels on environmental issues.
Leadership
National Associations
Fiji is a member of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), a regional organization of governments in the Pacific region that promotes cooperation in protecting and managing the environment and natural resources. SPREP has several environmental education initiatives for member countries, including producing a guiding framework for education and communication for sustainable development, as well as a teachers’ manual on environmental issues in the Pacific region. SPREP has also historically facilitated several action plans and strategies on environmental education and training in the region.
EE in National Government
The Education and Awareness Unit under the Department of Environment is the government office responsible for supporting environmental education in Fiji. The Unit is responsible for developing environmental education and awareness programs, including outreach workshops, seminars, and lectures. The unit also collaborates with the Curriculum Development Unit to provide environmental content.
National EE Campaigns and Funding
Green Schools Fiji is an initiative that integrates environmental education into school curricula, encouraging students and teachers to actively improve their environment. The program is a collaboration between Live & Learn Environmental Education, the Curriculum Development Unit of the Ministry of Education, and the Fijian Teachers Association. Resources produced under the initiative include a teachers’ manual and a guide for schools on how to become a green school. With funding from the European Union, Live & Learn Environmental Education produced an educators’ resource guide on biodiversity.
NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is Fijian NGO dedicated to biodiversity conservation, endangered species protection, and sustainable resource management. The organization promotes collaborative conservation action, education, research, and biodiversity awareness. Initiatives under environmental education and communication include a nature and wildlife club programme in schools and producing a compendium of endangered species in Fiji.
The Mamanuca Environment Society (MES Fiji) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the marine and terrestrial environment of the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. MES Fiji collaborates with local resorts, tour operators, and conservation groups to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. MES Fiji runs a marine environment school program targeted at primary schools covering lessons on topics like coral reefs, marine animals, and coastal zone protection. Other initiatives include community outreach in villages and environmental lectures and field excursions.
- Organizations
Ministry of Waterways & Environment
Live & Learn Environmental Education
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Mamanuca Environment Society (MES Fiji)
NatureFiji-MareqetiViti
The Econesian Society
Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD)/ The University of the South Pacific
Country Map