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China: Green Classroom
China: Green Classroom
In the People's Republic of China, environmental education programmes for the younger generation tend to be limited to urban schools. Remote rural areas often go empty handed. The Amity Foundation aims to close this gap and bring environmental education into rural classrooms coupled with creativity and fun.
The climate crisis requires bold and consequential action. Extreme droughts, flood disasters, the extinction of species, wastefulness with resources and environmental pollution – these are issues that Christians around the world are addressing in special ways. Often it is the many small projects that, when added together, make a large, valuable contribution to environmental protection. The environmental education programme of the social and charitable Amity Foundation is one of them – a sustainable primary school concept that aims to advance the development of "green schools".
Setting an example of environmental protection and passing it on
In many rural regions of China, there is a lack of trained teachers and therefore of educational concepts for children in primary schools. The Amity Foundation wants to close this gap and bring exciting and entertaining environmental education into the classroom. 60 teachers at four schools in the provinces of Guangxi and Gansu will be trained in sustainable environmental and nature education and equipped with analogue and digital teaching materials. Together with expert teams from the Amity Foundation, the teachers develop a curriculum adapted to the needs of each school and its students.
China
China is currently the world's largest emitter of CO2.
Out into nature: learning about and protecting the environment with children
Discovery competitions, join-in projects, research activities – this and much more is included in the Amity Foundation's programme for primary school children. For example, the children can become active as a class and experience the wonders of nature together with others in a nearby nature reserve and organise small conservation projects. The programme builds connections between people and nature at both local and global levels. Nature in the area where the children live offers the best conditions for this. This is where socially and ecologically sustainable thinking and action can be experienced at the same time.
Children as environmental ambassadors
Photo, painting and design competitions as well as action days, for example on World Water Day or Earth Day, promote the creativity and commitment of students and actively involve them in the preparation of lessons. In the schools, the students work out an environmental protection agreement that is adapted to each regional situation and contains practical measures. The children also act as "environmental ambassadors” by reaching out to families and people in the neighbourhood. The sustainability of the project is promoted in the long term through partnerships with non-governmental organisations and other schools.
Project goals
The teachers at selected schools are trained in sustainable environmental and nature education in order to devise appropriate lessons. This will help 1,500 students to expand their understanding of environmental protection and nature conservation. In each of the three to four participating schools, the students draw up an environmental protection agreement adapted to each situation and are encouraged to pass on their experiences and knowledge. In this way, the programme can also influence families and other people living in the region. In total, around 15,000 people can be sensitised to environmental issues.
Project work
Together with experts from the Amity Foundation, a sustainable primary school concept for environmental education is being developed and implemented. Theme-based competitions and action days arouse the children's interest and motivate them to develop their own ideas. Outings to nearby nature reserves encourage children to experience socially and ecologically sustainable thinking and action. The ongoing progress of the environmental education programme is evaluated and continuously developed by devising indicators.
Project partners
The Amity Foundation was started in Nanjing in 1985 as a Christian social welfare foundation. It allows Chinese churches to assume joint responsibility in the field of charity, ministry and social work. The Foundation supports rural development projects as well as health and education. It promotes social issues and runs one of the largest Bible printing presses in the world. Amity Foundation has a clear vision: “a good life and more justice for a better world”. In 2014, Amity Foundation attained consultative status from the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Through its work, the Foundation has helped strengthen the image of the Christian church in China.
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