Finally some good news on climate change: Climate change being taught in south Punjab govt schools

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has left many developed countries behind in terms of creating climate change awareness in the younger generation.

For the first time, climate change is being taught as a separate subject in the public sector schools of south Punjab.

Ever since many parts of Pakistan were hit by devastating floods last August, we have been hearing that it was a consequence of climate change, and that ours is one of the most-affected countries by the phenomenon. However, lately a good news pertaining to climate change has emerged from south Punjab that seems to have earned unique honour for the country globally.

The School Education Department, South Punjab, has initiated teaching of climate change to schoolchildren as a separate subject, first time in the history of the country.

The initiative needs to be seen in the context of a recently published report by UNESCO, “Getting every school climate-ready”. The report makes a shocking revelation. Nearly half of national curriculum frameworks of 100 countries reviewed had no reference to climate change at all. The rest mentioned the phenomenon but the inclusion was usually very minimal. The report has not mentioned any country either where climate change was being taught at schools as a separate subject. If at all, the related content had mostly been included in subjects such as biology, science and geography.

The School Education Department, South Punjab, was quick to acknowledge this missing link and decided to start its formal teaching in order to sensitise our next generations and save them from the perils of climate change.

When contacted, Dr Ehtasham Anwar, Secretary School Education Department, South Punjab, said that it took them more than two years to prepare the curriculum for the new subject. The hallmark of imparting education of this subject is the children’s Green Book, which has been prepared with input from various stakeholders, including subject experts, and covers all topics related to climate change and allied matters such as biodiversity, wildlife, forestry, agriculture, horticulture and more.

The book has a colourful, attractive and interest-provoking outlook. It revolves around the characters of a young girl and a boy and imparts practical knowledge in a story telling format. It has been introduced at the level of class 7. It is said that the children at this stage are neither old enough where their attitudes have already been formed, nor too young where they might not be able to understand the complexities of climate change.

Amongst other topics, the book also creates awareness on rapidly depleting water resources of Pakistan, in general, and River Indus, in particular, and ways and means to preserve them, in line with the ‘Living Indus’ project of the Government of Pakistan.

At the same time, a dedicated website, https://thechildrengreenbook.net/ has also been launched to support the book where, besides other elements, its digital version is also available for those interested.

It has also been informed that not too long ago, the secretary was invited to present the book in a session in London presided over by the UK’s Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), where it provoked huge interest.

When inquired about the response of the Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan, Dr Ehtasham Anwar said that he was trying to have an appointment with ministry’s officials too to make a presentation to them. He clarified that even though the book had been launched by the School Education Department, South Punjab, yet it had been prepared in the perspective of the entire Pakistan, and encompassed climate change related issues being faced anywhere in the country. It could, therefore, easily be adopted by other federal units as well as provincial governments.