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Table of Contents
Overview
Jamaica has a vibrant environmental education scene, with several enabling national policy and action plans and several national trusts and funds that fund environmental education initiatives. Educators have opportunities for professional development through official teacher training curriculum, as well as in-service continued professional development opportunities offered by non-profit organizations and by government agencies.
Policy & Practice
National Policy
Key action plans related to environmental education in Jamaica include the National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development (NEEAPSD). The action plan was developed by the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC), an initiative of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), which comprises stakeholders across government, non-government, education, community, private sector and labour sectors. The action plan identifies key programme and environmental education areas including, teacher professional development, curriculum development, national public awareness, community learning, and resources and practices.
Other national policy plans that include environmental education as a key strategy include the National Environmental Action Plan, the National Policy on Environmental Management Systems, and the National Environment and Planning Agency’s five year strategic plan, all which mandate development of public environmental education and awareness initiatives.
EE in K-12 Education
Environmental education concepts are included in Science and Social Studies subjects within the primary and secondary school curricula and the syllabi and assessment frameworks of the regional Caribbean Examinations Council include environmental knowledge. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education Youth and Information (MOEYI) offers ad hoc refresher workshops to primary school students on environmental topics under the NEPA Junior Environment Programme(NJEP).
In addition to the formal curricula, an important source of environmental education is the Schools’ Environment Programme (SEP), an environmental education programme run by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) in over 350 primary and secondary schools. The four pillars of the SEP are managing garbage, greening of school grounds, strengthening or establishing an environmental club and environmental research. As part of the SEP, JET also runs learning workshops on various environmental issues for teachers and students, as well as environmental educational outreach programmes with broader local communities.
Professional Development
The Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE), in collaboration with the Government of Jamaica and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) under the Sustainable Teacher Environmental Education Project, revised the curriculum for the three-year diploma in teaching to incorporate more environmental education content areas in the initial training for educators. The initiative also developed an elective course in Environmental Education for the Secondary and Primary programmes.
Additional professional development paths include the SEP programme by JET, which has manuals for primary and secondary school educators, in addition to workshop training opportunities. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education Youth and Information (MOEYI) offers training to primary school teachers under the NEPA Junior Environment Programme (NJEP).
Leadership
National Associations
The National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC) is a nation-level entity with representation from over 41 organizations across various sectors whose goal is to ‘guide and mobilize environmental education activities in support of sustainable development in Jamaica’. NEEC was formed under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) but now operates as an independent organization.
EE in National Government
The Environment and Risk Management Branch within the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation is tasked with implementing public and sector-specific education and awareness-raising programmes related to the environment. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) organizes themed public awareness and education events such as the National Environmental Awareness Week.
National EE Campaigns and Funding
The Schools’ Environment Programme (SEP), the flagship environmental education programme of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) delivered in over 350 Jamaican schools, with an estimated reach of over 400,000 students and 700 teachers for over two decades, is funded by a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and additional support from corporate sponsors.
The Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) engages in environmental conservation and sustainable development with a focus on the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. JCDT runs a Public Education & Community Outreach Programme, which engages local communities and the general public on environmental awareness and action. JCDT receives budgetary support from the government of Jamaica through NRCA, with other sources of support including grants and donations.
The National Conservation Trust of Jamaica (NCTFJ) is a national non-profit organization whose mandate is to source and provide funding for Protected Areas in Jamaica. The NCTFJ was created with funding that the government of Jamaica obtained from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The NCTFJ has funded several projects within protected areas that include environmental education elements.
The Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) is an independent special purpose foundation which develops and funds sustainable development programmes. The EFJ was created with funding from debt relief and exchange of debt owed to the United States government. The EFJ has funded environmental educational projects implemented by organizations such as the Jamaica Environment Trust and the Joint Board of Teacher Education.
- Organizations
Jamaica Environment Trust (JET)
National Environment and Planning Agency
The Jamaica Conservation Partners
https://www.jamaicaconservationpartners.org/
National Conservation Trust of Jamaica (NCTFJ)
Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ)
Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT)
The University of the West Indies
The Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE)
https://www.mona.uwi.edu/soe/joint-board-teacher-education-jbte
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