The official launch of the Environmental Education Curriculum (EEC) for Regions 4 and 6 gives school teachers across coastal Guyana a new tool to nurture environmental awareness, curiosity and leadership among kids and teenagers. In addition, a complete guidebook on how to create an Environmental Education Curriculum is being launched, allowing development of EE to continue across Guyana and beyond.
The curriculum is designed as a practical and engaging guide, structured for delivery over a full academic year. It comprises an activity book, a teacher’s handbook, and supporting appendices. Over the course of three terms, students will learn about native plants, wildlife, and their habitats; waterways; farming; fishing; and coastal folklore and traditions. Initially, this curriculum will be implemented in five schools across Regions 4 and 6: St. Rose’s High, Berbice High, Sandvoort Primary, St. Cuthbert’s Primary and Friendship Primary.
Hosted by the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme and the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC), and funded by the European Union (EU), the launch event was attended by Ms. Omwattie Ramdin, Director of National Center of Educational Resources Development (NCERD) who represented the Minister of Education and highlighted the importance of this curriculum:
“Today is about an investment, it is about equipping our children with the knowledge, values, skills, and a sense of responsibility. They will need to protect one of the greatest treasures we possess, our natural environment. The decisions our children make in the future, will depend greatly on what we teach them.”
The model for Regions 4 and 6 EEC was originally developed by the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) for Region 9, where it has been successfully implemented for over seven years, with support from the SWM Programme. Building on this success, the SWM Programme, the GWCMC, and SRCS have spent the past year adapting the Region 9 curriculum for Regions 4 and 6.
Ms. Alona Sankar, Commissioner of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC), highlighted the critical importance of this initiative:
“The GWCMC is pleased to be a part of this venture. It fosters positive attitudes towards wildlife among students and aims to have a long-term impact in their lives regarding the importance of wildlife.”
Mr Daniele de Bernardi, Focal Point for the SWM Programme in Guyana from the Delegation of the European Union in Guyana, Suriname and Caricom Guyana, expressed his vision for the curriculum, stating:
“Today’s launch is more than the introduction of new educational materials. It is an investment in young people, in environmental stewardship, and in the future resilience of Guyana’s communities. It shows how education can help connect biodiversity conservation, cultural knowledge, sustainable livelihoods and community responsibility.”
For media inquiries, please contact the project coordinator for SWM Guyana, David Oswin, (david.wyn100@gmail.com;+592 693 8067).
Acknowledgements:
The SWM Programme in Guyana is led by Landscape Alliance (formerly called the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)).
The SWM Programme extends its sincere gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to the development of this curriculum, from its initial stages through to design and review. Special thanks go to the European Union for its generous funding in making this initiative possible; the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) for its keen interest and partnership; the Ministry of Education of Guyana for its support of this important project; and the South Rupununi Conservation Society, without whom this curriculum would not have been possible. Finally, the SWM Programme thanks the teachers and students of the schools who will be the first to experience this curriculum.
