4.3 THE MALAYSIAN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
d) Air pollution due to industries and transportation in urban and industrial areas and also due to open burning of solid waste to a lesser extent. In
1996 and 1997, Malaysia experienced its worst haze problems mainly caused by forest fires in South-East Borneo and Sumatra which
disrupted air transportation schedules and also caused health problems.
In context of the model, the condition of the natural environment (refer to C) has been clearly highlighted within the Malaysian context.
If one were to apply this model to the South African situation you could begin with the premise that South Africa is a semi-arid country. Issues concerning the usage of water become the focus of the model.
The model pre-supposes the following pro-active steps after the natural environmental problem (eg. air pollution has been identified as a problem in the Malaysian context of the model):
S Gathering and collating data about environmental problems S Preparing and implementing strategies for improving land and
resource use patterns
•S Ensuring that financial allocations (communities are eligible to receive grants-in-aid from local municipalities) are effectively utilized.
S Involving local leaders, the community and the private sector in improved environment practices.
S Establishing local industries eg nurseries, cottage industries S Providing assistance in the marketing of environmentally-based
products eg honey, diary products.
4 . 3 3 The implementation phase: Environmental Education Programme in Schools (Refer to E in the model)
The Malaysian Ministry of Education has embarked on a national environmental education program to create environmental awareness among learners. Environmental Education is not taught as a separate subject but is taught across the curriculum.
The aim of environmental education in Malaysian schools is to develop learners who will be more sensitive and observant about the issues related to the environment and are conscientised more about sustainable development. The teaching and learning strategies of environmental education are advocated in school programmes as follows:
• knowledge and attitude
• thinking skills
• manipulative skills
• application of concepts and knowledge.
• Learning stations in the school and its surroundings are set up for the teaching and learning of environmental concepts. Therefore the environment becomes the stage for learning about environmental issues
• Stations on soil, population, flora, and fauna, energy, waste materials, weather, water, air and physical features are some of the environmental stations that encourage the understanding of the environment and its interaction.
• In-service teacher development programs to guide educators and
education officers are held all year through to help them keep abreast of new developments in the field of environmental education.
4.3.4 An Overview of Environmental Networking In Malaysia (Refer
to A and B in the model): Supporting Political and Social environment
In Malaysia various governmental organizations have played an active role in supporting the Ministry of Education to implement environmental education programmes Some of the governmental organizations such as the Department of Fisheries, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, Department of Wild Life and National Parks, Local Council, Sarawak River Council and Department of Environment are actively involved in the educational and extra auricular activities of schools.
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Besides these initiatives, non governmental organizations such as the Malaysian Nature Society, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia, Consumer Association, are also involved in supporting the national environmental educational programmes in schools.
The following are examples of the support and cooperation obtained from the various governmental and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Experts in environmental education from local universities, Forestry Department, Fisheries Department of Wildlife and National Parks and WWF Malaysia have delivered talks at workshops for resource personnel in environmental education.
(b) Environmental education material such as posters, story books, teacher's resource handbooks have been produced and printed by the Department of Forestry, Department of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental and WWF Malaysia.
(c) Environmental camps for students and educators have been organized and sponsored by the Department of Environment and WWF Malaysia.
(d) Training workshops for educators on environmental education are organized and sponsored by some NGOs and the private sector. For example, WWF Malaysia has sponsored a course on marine life and United Motor Works Malaysia sponsored a workshop on the recycling of waste materials.
(e) Competitions related to beautification programmes for schools are organized by the local newspapers.
(f) A local newspaper company New Straits Times has organized the collection of old newspaper by school children for recycling.
At the regional level, the Ministry of Education has established contact with some Asian countries such an India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines by sending its education officers for courses, study visits, seminars and conferences on environmental education.
4.3.5 Problems Concerning the Environmental Education Model (Refer to F in the model: assessing outcomes)
There is good support and co-operation from various governmental and non- governmental organization including private corporate bodies and the mass media in Malaysia. Nevertheless, there are some problems affecting development of environmental education programmes such as:
a) Shortage of trained education officers in environmental education at the Ministry and the State level to plan, organize, implement and monitor environmental education programmes in the schools.
b) Shortage of environmental education material for educators and learners.
c) Weakness in the monitoring system.
South African Muslim society can only benefit from this Malaysian experience.
4.3.6 Possible Solutions Concerning Environmental Education Networking in developing a Sustainable Society
The importance of cooperation - local, national, regional and global - in the monumental task of enhancing people's quality of life, achieving sustainable development concerning environmental education networking towards developing a sustainable society, Malaysia could attend to the following key areas:
• An effective communication network on environmental education should be established within governmental organizations and among governmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Networking among GOs and NGOs '"of the Asia-Pacific Region that would provide a framework for catalyzing, coordinating and organizing EE in the region
• improve the delivery system for EE at all levels of the education system
GO's : refer to governmental organisations and NGO's refer to non-governmental organisations.
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• produce and enhance manpower capability in the region
• initiate mass rolling based action in managing the environment through information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns.
• A regional centre for EE that will:
o train EE teacher trainers of Asia-Pacific Region;
o produce EE support materials;
o conduct conferences and consultative meetings to discuss regional problems in the environment and find collective action plans to overcome problems
• serve as nerve centre of an EE information and communication network of Asian-Pacific Region. Improve linkages with UNEP, UNESCO and selected universities and colleges for technical assistance.
• There should only be one regional communication network instead of having too many Sub-regional communication networks on environmental education which only duplicate the exchange of information and experiences.