Integrated Water Concepts in the National Curriculum 

Royal Society for Conversation of Nature (RSCN)
Mayada Abu Jaber, Director of Outreach Division
Mayyada_aj

Abstract
Environmental education program at the RSCN targeted the formal education curriculum reaching to almost 1.5 million students. The Environmental Education curriculum was tackled under The USAID funded project WEPIA, which is one of projects of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation subcontracted to the RSCN focusing on a pressing environmental issue-water. Water education program commenced in the year 2000 with a KAP survey to assess the knowledge, attitude, and participation of 500 students and teachers through out the country with regards to the management of water issues. Studies showed that although students were aware of water being a pressing environmental issue, yet they felt that a greater responsibility lies on the government to manage its water resources. Thus, a comprehensive formal education program was developed tackling environmental skills and empowering students to be the engine of change. The stakeholders reviewed two hundred textbooks and water education was assessed in these textbooks. As many as 150 lessons or units were added and/or reviewed in the national textbooks. The new water management lessons focused on positive behavior both at home and on a national scale. The management of water resources focuses on the formation of nature reserves for the protection of wetlands, surface, and marine water and the bio-diversity protection. The process of initiating a reserve is also included. Further initiative was diverted towards introducing technology in preservation. An interactive CD was produced to support the formal curriculum. The CD takes the student through several windows, namely a 3-D video window to present real life case studies that the student can learn from. A second window simulates environmental problems and issues and the student has to come up with possible solution and alternatives to the problem. The environmental affects both +ve or –ve of the selected solution are simulated. Thus, the child learns by experiments and exploring. The education pack produced also has teachers guide to guide in the learning process. Evaluation of the Childs understanding is accomplished both by the CD and by set worksheets in the teacher’s guide. All grading is benchmarked by environmental standards that are broken down into grading rubrics. The material is now being taught in national schools while the CD will be transferred to all schools in the kingdom through the intra-net facility early next year. A comprehensive teacher-training program is accompanying the program.