Philippines: Climate change, disaster risk reduction now in education curriculum

Legazpi City - Albay continues to live up as prime mover in the advocacy and mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) in the community following the integration of the concept in the elementary and secondary schools curricula this school years and ahead.

Manuel Rangasa, executive director of the Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), said the center, under the auspices of the provincial government of Albay, and the Department of Education (DepEd) recently spearheaded last May 18-20 the seminar for school mentors laying out preparations and foundation of CCA concepts, thereafter re-echo to the pupils and students.

Rangasa said the integration program fulfils the requirements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), pursued in cooperation with United Nations Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDGF), United Nations Development Programme, Spanish Embassy and the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID).

He explained that the initial integration program into the curricula has been earlier implemented in pilot schools across the province.

After assessing the results and feedbacks from the pilot areas, Rangasa noted, the lesson exemplars have been updated and enhanced to provide the students full grasp of the climate change issues and its relevance to their studies.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda meanwhile said the integration of climate change adaptation issues in the curricula will instill awareness among young Albayanos in terms of the trends on the changing climate, its effects on health, environment and the day-to-day living.

Albay schools districts were divided into three different clusters, with cluster A holding seminar on May 18 at Malilipot Central School; clusters B, D1, D2 and D3 on May 19 at MORMS in Guinobatan; and cluster C on May 20 at Polangui South Central Elementary School.

Resource speakers of the 3-day seminar include Dr. Alice I. Terrell, schools division superintendent of DepEd Albay, Manuel Rangasa, executive director of CIRCA, and UN Senior Global Champion on Climate Change Adaptation/Disaster Risk Reduction and.

“We are now in full swing and the lessons will be given to all schools across Albay through CIRCA’s supervision in partnership with the DepEd,” Rangasa said. (MAL, PIA V)