Environmental Education in Tanzania should begin at grass root level 

Learning has been a part and parcel of our daily lives, the process of accumulating knowledge which guides us towards using the resources at our disposal effectively. Planet earth has 7 billion people who ought to learn new things everyday through different ways to be updated in this eco-tech driven world.

Education is philosophical process of facilitating learning, acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs but also habits all these are transmitted from one person to another through educational methods such as teaching which is a favorable method, training, discussion, storytelling and directed research, but also it can be  performed under formal and informal basis.

Environment commands a very wide term, which refers to the natural sphere which encompasses air, land ,water, plant and animal life plus human life which includes social ,economic, cultural and recreational activities with factors that influence the lives of human beings and their man made materials. Our lives are thoroughly connected to the environment the present relationship of the environment and people dictate the survival of every natural element found in Tanzania.

 Therefore Environmental Education is of great importance to our communities. Basically environmental education is a process which enables individuals to explore environmental matters, take part in solving environmental related problems to improve the environment condition. From that perspective individuals are induced with a deep understanding of environmental issues and can made good decisions vital for the environment.

Furthermore the education system has been formalized and provided by the Ministry of Education and vocational training, with other sectors having a stake including the Prime ministers office, Regional administration and Local Government, Communities , Non Governmental organizations(NGOs) and Individuals with coordination with central government.

Our Formal education ranges from Kindergarten school to university, thus incorporating the potentials of Childs early years in development of mental potentials and other benefits. Hence Tanzania implements under the 2+7+4+2+3 structure. Which is broken down as follows: 2 years under preschool suited for 5-6 years old children,7 years for primary school , 4 years for secondary (Ordinary level), 2 year for advance secondary and 3 years for higher learning level universities and colleges specifically.

From the break down it is clearly seen that our system has a chance to incorporate the environmental education into our children and future intellectuals mind for the sake of nature preservation. Since I began my learning journey to Secondary level ,I have came across environmental issues addressed to me only as a part of a topic that I have to cover which is compulsory but not as a solid study that I have to learn and practice to master beyond perfection.

Tanzania environmental Issues have been championed more broadly in the past 2 decades, where by we had our National Environmental Policy in 1997, followed by the Environmental Management Act(EMA) of 2004 from that point forward several cross sectoral issues have incorporated environmental matters giving it the concern it deserves.

It is only in Universities and colleges where environmental Education is provided in a wholesome, but few institutions render such knowledge according to my checklist, ARDHI university, University of Dodoma(UDOM) and University of Dar es salaam are the major providers of environmental related courses. This shows that at the grass root level there is less or no exposure of students towards environmental issues, hence trained staff based on such fields are less or none.

Knowledge is perfectly induced in us when we are at a younger age. At that moment we are eager to know new things and grasp fast, we develop and inquisitive spirit and explore every detail at our disposal thus a famous Swahili saying says a fish is bent while fresh. All the major environmental problems Tanzania faces namely Soil erosion, Loss of biodiversity , Deforestation, Land degradation , Depletion of aquatic creatures can be tackled from children when they are shaped in nursery schools.

It is not entirely true that there has not been an attempt to disseminate Environmental education, I can recall my friends who had to carry gallons of water for plants watering at school, and locally made broom to sweep the compound, I did that too. But it is just a very small piece in a large puzzle. The key issues is to begin instilling environmental concepts steps by step in children from nursery level to primary, from that point minor complex environmental concepts can begin introduced in class 5,6,7 to keep them aware of what soil erosion does to agriculture and microorganism , they should know cutting down trees affects greatly our rainfalls and land inclusively.

The future of our country relies on  the children their mental and physical ability will dictate Tanzania Prosperity however  the state of the environment will determine their survival. The grass root level to be particular is a good start in exposing the extreme relevancy of the environment concern to our young bright minds. Children tend to make discoveries and connect things on their own they see things around them and relate to what they know, it is imperative to instill such ideas at a lower age, apparently our young children lack extensive and compulsory environmental studies at Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary levels.

 An environmentalist name Ruth Wilson (Phd) describes that environmental education in early childhood includes the development of a sense of natural world; opportunities to experience the joy of closeness to nature and respect for other creatures. She is pioneering the introduction of  children to environmental matters. I support her and relay her visions to save my contemporary Tanzania which is faced with extreme land degradation which has now peaked to 61% , where by 1.7 Ha of land is now salinized.

From the very moment a child begins learning particularly within the formal education system, the teacher is ought to begin taking the child gradually into natures perspective making the youngster love animals, trees and other natural elements seen and felt. It is vital for the children to take part in small practices which shape their perspective and instill love to nature such as taking care of plants, learning to care for an animal and denounce crime against nature from littering to deforestation. As the practice carried out in Public schools students taking part in sweeping and watering plants, more has to be added but from the kindergarten level.

The Founder of kindergarten which is literally children’s garden Friedrich Froebel in the Nineteenth century, had gardens special for children where by each child had a garden these gardens were enclosed on a communal garden where by child were free to play on their respective garden , experimenting on them which made them gain experience and sense of natures love. This shows that the tendency of exposing young children to nature really sparks a tremendous ability in them to care for every natural element at their disposal.

Tanzanians Students spend significant amount of time in learning institutions. Having them tought, trained and Habit sharpening in the name of Environmental management they will be good ambassadors of Environmental Protection. Despite many challenges facing the entire education system the Environmental Education importance is to be taken seriously and will less politicizing.

On 25^th September Tanzania was one of the 193 countries under United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals ending in 2030 , among the 17 goals most of them were related to environmental issues such as Goal number one which accounted on ending poverty hence in rural areas Environmental-poverty related issues are taking part as land degradation limits farmers cultivation, Hunger and food security ending goal number two linked intimately to environmental issues, climate change combating which is the hot news now globally is the one of the major challenges and a goal to be attained.

These Goals cant be achieved without a Holistic approach thus extensive implementation is urged from the government to the local government, however matters that touch the environment such as climate change should be dealt with on altitude basis, instilling  the people to take part in protecting and conserving the environment to save agriculture, water sources and ecology. Young children are the key recipients of such goals to be attained 30 years to come.

Beginning with them is a crave step which will lead other environmental related goals national wise will propel smoothly. Often we have been giving less attention to children and even ignoring them in essential matters that require attitude change, environmental issues are one of them. As of now we are faced with climate change, Loss of biodiversity and a much chronic pressing problem is Poaching. Environmental Education needs to begin working from Kindergarten to University Levels, having 45000 elephants from 300,000 is a very extreme issue that the entire nation needs to address loudly.

Developed Nations as USA, UK , Germany , Japan , China, Sweden  and South Korea have taken a step in Environmental Education dissemination from the grass root level. This is challenge towards Tanzania and should take the Western nations as an example thus they have astronomical mitigation measures to handle environmental problems unlike African states. Precautionary measures on environmental problems are much encouraged, and we wont be solving anything  if we don’t reach children first.

 Environmental clubs are perfect tools to shape children environmentally they can be used effectively to disseminate knowledge, change attitudes, create awareness and sensitize children and more importantly impact them with skills to solve environmental problems. As the Tanzania Development Vision 2025 has an element that points on achieving ‘’A strong and competitive economy by 2025’’. Where by it envisages; inter alia, that fast growth  will be pursued while effectively reversing current adverse trends in the loss and degradation of environmental resources and accumulation of hazardous substances.

Emphasis should be on the National Environmental Education Communication Strategy and Action plan, which is aiming reaching young children and educating them on national and international issues related to our environment.

Vital Education stakeholders ought to take part in advocating the introduction of environmental education into the curriculum and expunge the void that occupies our learning institutions hindering Tanzania future minds to care more for their environment. The old methods that are used in schools to maintain the environment should be encouraged in both public and private schools because the environment doesn’t segregate same applies to its problems.

Development that Tanzania seeks will obsolete if the environment is given a second priority, further more our present strategies, actions and plans should not only maximize few years  head prospects but also secure resources necessary for the future generation survival. Education is a key to life hence environmental education is a propeller for sustainable development.