3. Besides nationally-driven curriculum initiatives in EE, there is an Australian tradition of locally-driven initiatives in community-based, action oriented environmental education in which curriculum content emerges from the school's enquiries. Rather than being provided as text in EE, what is learnt is derived from involvement in particular environmental and social contexts. This is interesting for South African Muslims as Islamic schools can base their EE curriculum on local enquiry eg. Durban schools can use the following environmental issues as their EE basis for content:
o Sand dune degradation and recession along the Blue Lagoon area.
o Environmental Impact Assessments of holiday makers on the Durban beachfront.
o The effects of air pollution on upper respiratory organs in the Merebank area,
o A situation analysis of the La Mercy Mangrove Swamps,
o Air and noise pollution levels at the Durban International Airport and its adverse effects on the residents of Clairwood.
o Urban renewal proposals for transition zones found in the vicinity of the comer of Point and Smith Streets,
o The levels of lead found in inner city school grounds
o The environmental impact of the rapid development of town house complexes in the Ballito area.
o Proposals for the resuscitation and introduction of open green belts in the Overport urban area.
4. There are conflicts in policy concerning EE at national and local levels.
Whilst the national Australian Council for Education is working towards a national curriculum, the Victorian Education Ministry recommends that schools should devise their own policies and programmes for EE.
5. The new curriculum stresses encouraged relationships among educators, learners, subject matter and settings.
6. There are many EE courses offered especially in distance education mode so that rural educators can train for EE by correspondence. There is national recognition that EE takes different shapes and forms in different contexts and locations.
7. Case studies are used as a form of participatory process in the DE course where educators are encouraged to tell their own environmental story by inviting educators to make, select and sequence 35 visuals and each visual was to have a caption and a voice-over. Lecturers visited these sites, interviewing parents, educators and principals, collecting samples of learners' work, gathering information, school EE policies and the like. Lecturers prepared a five page report on the presentation.
8. The EE distance education package can be studied by single educators or taken in groups.
9. Drama is used to explore issues of power and domination among educators, learners and environments within the setting of a fairly uniform middle class city.
10. Unlike traditional science education and mathematics education, EE (perhaps like social education, health education) involves the educator in a range of professional dilemmas associated with the philosophical nature of substantive issues being studied, eg in South Africa learners in schools can be given ethical projects:
o How will the removal of informal traders from the Victoria Street, Warwick Avenue area affect their fight for survival?
o Will the removal of the Ntchaweni squatter settlement (outside Kwadukuza along the North Coast of Kwazulu Natal) destroy their sense of community and cohesiveness?
11. There are strong links with educators and community environmental groups when schools become involved in environmental projects.
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4.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS
In this chapter a conscientious effort was made to propose ways and means of cajoling the reader into believing that Environmental Education has potential in strengthening the Muslim Ummah (Nation). The various projects, models and proposals offer pragmatic solutions into the development of Environmental Education in mainstream South African society. It is understood that mosques (via the leadership of the Jamiats), Islamic newspapers and Islamic community radio stations will offer more discourses on the topic of Islam and the environment. Environmental Education is affordable and feasible. All it takes is commitment and dedication from educators
The major thrust in this chapter was to engage educational institutions into debates whereby they can become the conduits for greater community participation. This nexus between the school and the community will create greater diffusion of ideas. This research has refuted the empiricist notion that the researcher is far removed from the problem. The author has to be practically involved in the development of Environmental Education.
One such suggestion is that a weekend retreat be organised for the key stakeholders from the Muslim population in South Africa: the Jamiats, AMS, industrialists, private sector representatives and the like. Participants need to see their roles in their institutions more clearly in terms of:
• Pledging to support EE projects by virtue of the fact that this has great potential in the social reformation of the Muslim community
• EE projects contribute to the country as a whole. Muslims, as a minority group can make a substantial difference in terms of this paradigm shift.
• There will be a personal philosophical commitment to the ideals of environmental education.
• There is great potential that EE has in the understanding and implementation of the Quran. The Quran will now be introduced as a practical model into homes, communities via schools and Islamic institutions.
All the proposals mean nothing if there is no commitment from major stakeholders of social transformation in South Africa: educators, Ulema and intellectuals alike must face the challenge squarely of assisting in the sustainable development of our natural resources.
On the international front, notable efforts are being made in Islamic countries to counteract the threats caused by globalisation on its natural resources. Of particular interest in our discussion is Dubai (a state in the United Arab Emirates).
The in-flight magazines on national airline carriers always give one an idea of what's buzzing or topical in that country. The Emirates Airlines in-flight magazine called Open Skies (circa September and October 2004) focuses on important environmental issues:
the construction of the Southern hemisphere's largest telescope, adventure along the Silk Route, Birdlife in New Zealand, Abalone farming, Villages of Morocco, Italy's volatile islands, the planet Venus, park life in Tanzania, Flower power, Sinai Peninsula, Saving the Green Turtle, Endangered Rhinos, Wind as an alternate energy source, Scotland's West Highland Railway, Indonesia, the Antarctic and a special column is dedicated to Eco News.
In the Saudi Arabian in-flight magazine Ahlan Wasahlan significant space is devoted to environmental issues.
There is no better opportune time than the present moment for South African Muslim leaders to beckon to the call towards developing a sustainable society in the wake of globalisation which threatens our very fibre of existence. The only way in which this can be done is via the inculcation of Environmental ideals (care and love for the environment) through Environmental Education.
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