State Government Departments of 11 States and one UT join WWF India’s “One Earth One Home” initiative, to promote environment education amongst school students
New Delhi, 24th Sep 2020 : Globally, environment education has been recognized not only as a short-term stimulus but also as a necessity for the long-term growth of our children and their successful future. It is a solution to build a resilient and positive environment for children and young people. The One Earth One Home initiative launched by WWF India with the Living Planet Report 2020 highlighted the catastrophic environmental decline around the world and the need to inspire children to steer a change in their own lives by adopting pro-conservation attitudes and sustainable household practices towards a greener lifestyle. Students from Class 1 – 8 from government or government-aided schools across the country will go through a well-guided digital journey ensuring that learning, wellness and actions go hand-in-hand.
The WWF India ‘One Earth One Home’ initiative will create an impact in more than 16 states and 2 Union Territories of India. It is being implemented in partnership with State Government Departments of 11 States and 1 Union Territory (Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar) and 8 other partners, including the Smile Foundation and Million Sparks Foundation. Chief Education Officers, Zonal Education or Block education officers have been engaged at all levels to percolate the information and resource material to all the teachers and students of the state.
The programme has been designed especially for government schools across the country and is aligned with multiple Sustainable Development Goals- primarily SDG 3: Good health & well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 6: Clean water & Sanitation, SDG 11: Sustainable cities & communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & production and SDG 13: Climate Action. The resources are available in 10 languages– English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, for teachers and students on the Ministry of Education DIKSHA portal and few of the state digital education platforms.
Talking about the program, Ms. Radhika Suri, Director Environment Education, WWF India said “It is the need of the hour to educate the present generation toward greener habits and sustainable consumption practices in a playful, creative and engaging manner. With the nationwide closure of the schools, the perfect solution to build a positive environment for children at home is by connecting them to nature. ‘One Earth One Home’ movement will not just inspire children but their families and immediate communities towards environment and will enlighten them to contribute towards a greener, cleaner and healthier India. The support we have received from so many State Departments of Education is a testimony of the importance to impart environment education and take action during this pandemic.”
Department of School Education in the states have permitted 30 minutes per week for 10-weeks to students and teachers to conduct activities designed for the One Earth One Home programme. The programme sets out to build environment friendly homes across the country by empowering millions of students across with skills they will require for their future; from critical thinking and decision making to communication and action competence. It will assist government in continuing action-oriented education for a sustainable future and inspire conservation action through nature connect, knowledge and skills among students and their families through multiple engaging resources.
To know more about One Earth One Home visit, https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/environmental_education/one_earth_one_home/