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Table of Contents
Overview
Sri Lanka is an island nation that is known for its biodiversity. Environmental education is a pillar of Sri Lanka’s environmental policy supported by national level offices and is integrated in primary and secondary school curriculums. In addition to government initiatives, several non profit organizations are involved in environmental awareness initiatives and programmes.
Policy & Practice
National Policy
Sri Lanka’s National Environmental Policy includes several policy objectives and initiatives on environmental education, including an overall objective of increasing public environmental awareness through formal and informal education programmes, awareness campaigns, and training programmes. Youth and school children are specifically targeted and the policy calls for integrating content on the environment in curriculum across all education levels and the periodic updating of the content.
EE in K-12 Education
Environmental education is integrated into the primary school curriculum under a subject called Environment Related Activities (ERA). ERA is an integrated subject that aims to develop students’ competencies in domains of social, biological, and physical environment. At the secondary school level, environmental education is integrated under the Global Studies learning area with additional proposed electives in Climate change resilience and adaptation.
Professional Development
Training for environmental educators is offered by the Central Environmental Authority through its Environment Education and Awareness Unit’s National Environmental Pioneer Programme. The Environment Education and Awareness Unit also provides environmental education training to trainee teachers studying at the National College of Education.
Leadership
National Associations
Sri Lanka is a member of the South Asia Youth Environment Network (SAYEN), a regional network that engages youth in environmental issues. Sri Lanka Environment Exploration Society (SLEES) is the national focal point of SAYEN, and its activities include publication of resources and hosting of workshops and programmes in schools.
EE in National Government
The Environment Education and Awareness Unit of the Central Environmental Authority supports national environmental education initiatives, including forming Eco Clubs, developing environmental initiatives for preschool level, and running national initiatives such as the National Environmental Pioneer Programme, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and the Sri Lanka Green Youth Club Programme. The Environment Education Training, Promotion & Special Projects Division under the Ministry of Environment coordinates awareness campaigns for schools and general public, facilitates access to environmental information, and produces publications and guidelines, among other resources.
National EE Campaigns and Funding
The National Environmental Pioneer Programme is an environmental awareness run in schools across Sri Lanka by the Central Environmental Authority in partnership with the Ministry of Education. The programme activities include training programs for educators, school leadership, and implementing school based environment projects.
TUI Junior Academy is an initiative funded by the TUI Care Foundation that seeks to increase access to environmental education across three ecologically important regions of Sri Lanka covering 36 schools. The academy offers hands-on learning experiences through participation in eco-clubs and campaigns such as clean-ups and restoration projects.
The Lanka Environment Fund is a non profit organization that provides grantmaking opportunities for conservation projects, including a focus on projects that include environmental education components.
Sri Lanka Environment Exploration Society (SLEES) is a non profit organization with membership that includes school children and university students who carry out environment projects with funding from the Global Environmental Facility.
- Organizations
Central Environmental Authority
Ministry of Environment
https://env.gov.lk/web/index.php/en/divisions/education-training-research-division
TUI Junior Academy Sri Lanka
Lanka Environment Fund
https://www.lankaenvironmentfund.org/
Federation of Environmental Organizations Sri Lanka
Nagenahiru Foundation
Institute of Environmental Professionals
Sri Lanka Environment Exploration Society
Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society
https://www.slwcs.org/community-led-conservation
University of Colombo
Nature Explorations & Education Team
Country Map