When the incredible environmental lawyer M.C. Mehta went to the Supreme Court with a public interest litigation, he changed the lives and future of millions of Indians. His petition led to the 1991 ruling that environmental education must be a compulsory subject in schools. Since then, thousands of compassionate, inspired children leapt into careers for the wild, protecting and restoring species and ecosystems. By Shatakshi Gawade.
For the last few decades, environmental education has been infused into different subjects, said conservationist Dr. Erach Bharucha, the Director of Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research (BVIEER). An environmental studies (EVS) paper was introduced in Class 11 in 2005, and the current discussion at the National Council of Educational Research and Training is that environmental education could be a separate subject for Class 10, he shared.
However, in India, environmental education often remains theoretical, with limited opportunities for hands-on experiences or field-based learning, says Prof. Dr. Parvish Pandya, Director of Science and Conservation at the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. “While some colleges offer specialised programmes in environmental science, at the school level, environmental awareness tends to focus on concepts rather than active engagement with nature.”
Experiential environmental education is key for the development of school students. Photo: Petsikos/CC-BY-SA-4.0.
We can learn a lot from countries such as Finland, the U.S.A., and Australia, where environmental education is more experiential as schools emphasise outdoor learning in Protected Areas and local ecosystems, ecological projects, and community-based initiatives that allow students to connect directly with their surroundings, says Dr. Pandya. “This helps foster a deeper understanding of sustainability and conservation from an early age,”
he adds.
Dr. Erach Bharucha with students. Photo Courtesy: Dr. Erach Bharucha.
Dr. Bharucha hopes that implementing the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education will bring this in. “We must teach children processes in nature rather than taking the taxonomic approach. Most importantly, we must train teachers to provide such environmental education – most currently lack the capacity,” urges Dr. Bharucha.
The Art Of The Matter
Artist Sudarshan Shaw speaks about the importance of a guide and mentor in his journey in art for nature. “Amidst the vast blur of complexities, far in the sky, have shone some bright stars who would never let one lose their path in one’s stormy sail towards a distant shore of survival. One such grand star is Bittu Sahgal and his Sanctuary magazine, which has been building a harbour of hope with utmost love for the past four decades. He has gifted me appreciation and encouragement, enough to fuel a lifetime of my art contribution. He believes that only artists and mothers can save the world. I believe that only the most sincere bond with ‘nature’ can present such an answer!”
Dr. Parvish Pandya has introduced thousands of students to nature. Photo Courtesy: Dr. Parvish Pandya.
Environmental education will guide us on how to live in harmony with nature, instead of competing with it. Devanshu Sood, Senior Associate, Country Risk Management, at J.P. Morgan Chase and Co., believes that there are many evolving fields for job opportunities. He says, “Kids can focus on sustainability or the climate crisis. The important thing to remember is that you can affect change from both outside and inside organisations. Keep in mind the scale and impact while making a choice!”
Preeti Takle, Mumbai’s Kids for Tigers Coordinator, believes that every profession can incorporate environmentally sustainable practices. “When we care about what is happening to the planet, and more importantly the spaces around us, we will make changes that will snowball into larger impacts,” she says. For example, one of her students now runs a cafe, where all ingredients are locally sourced to reduce her cafe’s carbon footprint.
Preeti Takle, Mumbai’s Kids for Tigers Coordinator, is passionate about nature. Photo Courtesy: Sanctuary Photolibrary.
Such vocations are necessary for the future of human life itself, says Dr. Bharucha. “One hopes that these openings will increase and that salaries are readjusted to give these people and subjects value.”
In a life lived well, both personally and professionally, we can move a step closer to the wild, and become its accomplice and voice. Won’t that be beautiful?
Shatakshi is a Senior Editor at Sanctuary Asia. She met endless wild creatures and compassionate people in her books in school, and now takes every opportunity to meet them in person through her work!
