The Training Course on Environmental Education for Sustainable Development, held in conjunction with the Training Course on Earth and Space Science, was conducted at SEAMEO BIOTROP in Bogor from 17 – 26 June. 28 science teachers from Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Philippines, and Thailand participated in the program. During the class sessions nine topics were presented by resource persons from BIOTROP, SEAMEO RECSAM, Bogor Agricultural University and Biotechnology Development Foundation.
As well as the class sessions, participants also visited SMK Wikrama, an extraordinary high school in Bogor that has incorporated sustainable development education into all areas of its curriculum. The school is constructed in the most sustainable way possible and cleaning and gardening duties are performed by staff and students. Some examples of their environmentally-conscious efforts include prohibiting all disposable plastic, growing vegetables for the students’ lunches in the school garden, and using recycled instruments in the school band. SMK Wikrama is a leader in sustainable development education in Indonesia and all participants were inspired by the visit. After the morning at SMK Wikrama participants joined the other course participants for an excursion to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, and on the second last day toured the BIOTROP campus to learn about the enormous variety of its operations and research areas.
On the final afternoon both courses joined together for a Cultural Heritage Sharing event which was a wonderfully colourful display of traditional costumes, songs, dances and childhood games from all ASEAN countries. The Training Course on Environmental Education for Sustainable Development was a huge success, as evidenced by the participant representative’s Closing Ceremony speech. He conveyed the message that the course changed his attitudes towards sustainable development and convinced him that teachers need to be agents of change when it comes to thinking and acting sustainably towards the environment.
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