Know All About the Importance of Environmental Education in Schools

17th December, 2019

The importance of environmental education is explained in the words of Mollie Beattie, “In the long term, the economy and the environment are the same things. If it is unenvironmental, it is uneconomical. That is the rule of nature”.

What is Environmental Education?

In today’s world, education forms the basis for everything, including the environment. Environmental education is a process that allows students to explore the current environmental issues, involve themselves in problem-solving and to act upon to improve the environment. Some of the top IGCSE schools in Bangalore have taken the initiative to include environmental education into their curriculum. The curriculum brings nature into the classroom as well as take the students outside to learn. This helps the students to develop a better understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make an informed and responsible decision.

Why Environmental Education?

Imaginations and enthusiasm are heightened- As it sparks imagination and unlocks creativity, it helps students get more enthusiastic and engaged in the learning, which leads to higher student achievement in the core academic areas.

Critical and creative thinking skills are enhanced- Students are encouraged to research, investigate how and why things happen and come up with their own solutions to tackle environmental problems.

Promotes Tolerance and Understanding- It encourages students to investigate varying sides of issues and helps them gain a different perspective of different cultures, thereby instilling a sense of cultural and social awareness in them.

Healthy lifestyles are encouraged- Environmental education gets students to go outside and address issues. This helps them become more proactive and aware of health issues like obesity, depression and ADD.

Helps in strengthening communities- This form of education promotes a sense of place and connection through community involvement. Students decide to learn more and take action to improve their surroundings. For the same, they reach out to community experts, volunteers and families and help to bring the community together and address environmental issues impacting their neighbourhood.

Responsible action is taken to better the environment- Through this form of education, students understand how their decisions and actions affect the environment. This helps them acquire the knowledge required to address complex environmental issues and keep our environment healthy and sustainable for the future generation.

Environmental education fosters sensitivity, appreciation, and respect for the environment- It increases the student’s interaction with their environment and makes them take decisions related to the same. Now that the students know how the environment is directly related to them, they become more sensitive and respectful towards the same, thus creating a habitable surrounding for society.

How Environmental Education Benefits Students?

Improves academic achievement- Students are engaged in exciting and practical lessons that teach them more about the natural world and provides them with an opportunity to enhance their scores in different subject areas and grades. This helps students to improve their test scores, thereby performing well in examinations and assessments.

Helps in breaking the indoor habit- Research has suggested that children who experience school grounds and play areas with diverse natural settings. This helps them to become more physically active and civil to each other.

Supports STEM- Environmental education offers an engaging platform for gaining and applying knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This helps students to comprehend each subject better and understand how each topic is linked to another.

Improves focus and cognition- Such forms of education increase the ability of students to focus and improves their cognitive skills. Since students are more exposed to nature and understand how each activity affects the environment, incorporating this subject in the curriculum encourages problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in students.

Environmental education cultivates leadership qualities- Students are expected to interact with community volunteers and guide their teams when they are assigned projects. All of this helps them to builds leadership skills and makes them more confident.

Environmental education helps students because they can see the relevance of their classroom learning to the complex environmental issues confronting our planet. In an effort to provide high-quality education to students, some of the best IGCSE schools in Bangalore or other cities have started integrating environmental studies into their curriculum. Students, therefore, now understand the importance of the environment and put in their best efforts to make the world a better place.