Environmental Education Initiative

Elementary Schools Environmental Education Initiative (ESEE)

The Elementary Schools Environmental Education Initiative (ESEE) was undertaken by Live & Learn in collaboration with UNICEF and the Eritrean Ministry of Education in 2009. This initiative aimed to build the capacity of elementary school students to understand and respond to the environmental issues confronting Eritrea. In consultation with teachers, school administrators, Parent and Teacher Associations and students, Live & Learn developed a range of educational materials to promote a child-centred, participatory style approach to learning. The materials are designed to improve the knowledge, attitudes and skills of students on a range of environmental issues such as climate change, desertification, erosion, biodiversity, water, sanitation, hygiene, waste management, endangered species, landmines and school food gardens. The materials offer teachers fun activities to use with students, background information, strategies to make teaching more effective as well as a toolbox of real objects to use  in classes. Teacher training was conducted in 2010 using a train-the-trainer process. The toolkits of books, posters, picture cards and teaching aids have been distributed to Elementary schools across Eritrea.