DepEd, foreign NGOs working on climate change lessons

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 3 is working closely with foreign non-government organizations in the development of learning materials on climate change for students in Grade 5 to high school.

DepEd Region 3 Director Isabelita Borres said experts from Save the Children, Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Plan International and International Institute for Sustainable Futures have recently conducted a workshop for DepEd curriculum writers on how to integrate climate change in the formal curriculum of schools in the region.

“This workshop is part of the child-centered community-based climate change Adaptation Project in the Philippines, funded by AusAID. The aim of this workshop is to produce learning kits on climate change for students in Grade 5 to high school,” Borres said.

Borres said the learning kits would help the school children understand climate change and know what to do during a disaster.

“Children are vulnerable to any disasters. They are the first to be affected, especially their education,” she said.

William Azucena, program manager of Save the Children, noted that most of the areas in Region 3 are prone to hazards like heavy rainfall and flooding.

“Climate change is happening right now. It is important to include climate change core messages and expected competencies in the curriculum,” Azucena said.

He said developing self-learning kits for children is vital.

“With these learning kits, the kids can always study the lessons at home, especially when they are unable to go to school during inclement weather or other natural disasters,” he said.