Children will learn about topics such as the climate crisis, the importance of preserving open space, air pollution, recycling, reducing waste, and more.
By CELIA JEAN AUGUST 20, 2020
In order to promote education on environmental and sustainability issues in the Israel’s education system, the Environmental Ministry is set to transfer NIS 10.7 million to the Education Ministry.
“Our unique cooperation with the Ministry of Education is aimed at promoting education for the love and preservation of the country,” said Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel.
“We are proud to invest significant sums of money so that as many students as possible will be exposed in the education system to important content, such as the climate crisis, the importance of preserving open space, air pollution, responsibility for cleanliness of public spaces, recycling, reducing waste, and more,” she added.
The program is based on the guidelines of the UN Committee on Education for Sustainable Development, which stresses the importance of training education staff to deal with environmental issues, as well as the need for cooperation between environment and education ministries.
Included in the program will be training courses for school teacher, new environmental education to be supplemented into youth programs in addition to planned activities for education in areas with a low socio-economic demographic. Included in the training planned for teachers of both kindergartens and grade schools are tours and guidance to help build a curriculum centered around the subject of environmental protection and preservation.
With the goal of integrating education on the topic into youth movement programs, joint activities with the Youth Movement Council and the Social and Youth Administration.
Additionally, targeted activities will be implemented into the education systems of low socio-economic areas to promote education on the subject of environmental protection and preservation.
The campaign comes on the backdrop of the Environmental and Protection agency’s plan to reduce the usage of single-use plastic on Israel’s beaches.
As a part of the campaign, called “Disposable plastic – Not on my beach,” the governmental advertising department released a video that depicts the situation of beaches, aimed at reminding the public to clean up after themselves and show the consequences that littering on beaches might have on future generations.
Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.