Children and climate change education
Tahseen Rashid :As we entered the air-conditioned classroom after our tedious humid Tiffin break, a droplet of water splattered onto my hand. Keeping the season in mind, I figured it was from a classmate’s water bottle but I was proved wrong when the sky’s brilliant hue was replaced by the castles of Zeus, thunderclouds. It was the last week of October; pretty far off from the rainy season. Most of the people were anguishing the fact it was raining just because we had a games period later on in the day, but little did they know that their missed games period, was insignificant when compared to the effect this rain would have on the poorer society of our nation.When I was younger and this sort of anomaly would occur, I would ask myself, “Why is it raining in the middle of autumn? After some research I figured that the answer to my question was ‘climate change,’ which is in turn caused by global warming. Global warming is the rise of the Earth’s average surface temperature. It is caused by deforestation, burning of fossil fuels and blah, blah, blah.” I didn’t write the rest of the causes because I was tired, but because there was no point in writing them. Firstly because, if I did not stop with the scientific stuff, you would automatically get bored of reading this piece and stop. It wouldn’t have been a crime if you had done it; I would have done the same. Secondly, I didn’t write the rest, to try and catch your attention. I’ve been in Bangladesh for over six years now, and I have noticed flaws in both our local Bengali-medium curriculum and the English-medium curriculum. But one flaw that is common in both systems is the stage-wise pressure. In a school, just like how calculus shouldn’t be taught in class V since the students won’t understand anything, just like that it is pointless blabbering climate change facts and scientific junk to them. Instead distinct messages should be passed out, such as ‘Wasting is Killing!’ and “every tree cut is a throb at the earth’s heart, too many, and it won’t survive.” A few days ago I saw an advertisement released by the Indian government. It showed a young boy who had just finished his class at school, running back to educate the elder illiterate members of his village.Every month, I hear about climate change summits being held and countries discussing solutions to the alarming problem at hand. They talk about reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, using renewable energy, and so many other possibilities; but how many times have they talked about the importance of education to reduce climate change. The thing about education is that it is always progressive; meaning it does not hinder on the past but looks at a bright future. So educating the nation on climate change now would mean a greener future for our nation. The task at hand is easier than other measures, because educating one child on how to protect and sustain the environment, is simultaneously educating his family and the people around him; meaning you educate an average of 5 people by educating one child.Another reason why children should be educated and warned about climate change is because the phenomenon’s effects are most detrimental on them. According to the UN, climate change has the potential to cause serious disruption to children’s schooling. Climate change education is an important adaptation measure, particularly in vulnerable developing countries, such as Bangladesh. Teaching children the skills they need to cope with a changing climate; for example, how to deal with the increasing onset of natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes, tsunami and cyclones.Even though there is not an incredible amount of initiation by organizations and the government regarding education and climate change, I won’t say there is absolutely no initiative, since many corporations have come forth HSBC Bank. This is a commendable achievement on their part.But then again, only this much won’t do. We need the government and many more NGO’s to come forward. We need to reach out to the people who have never been to school, such as those in the extremely rural areas, and explain to them the effects of climate change, through practical demonstrations and other simple curriculum, in both formal and informal ways. Other than formal classroom education, children can be educated through extra-curricular activities such as drama, films, documentaries, music, etc.In developing countries today, children face the challenge of climate change, despite being least responsible for its causes. Increased natural disasters, food crises and changing rainfall patterns are all threatening their lives and their basic rights to education, health, clean water and the right food. The impact of climate change is projected to be more intense in the immediate and long-term future, suggesting that the children of today and subsequent generations will all be fighting against the brunt of climate change to try and reside in a liveable world.(Tahseen Rashid is a student of Class IX in Sunbeams School)
