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Unit 32: Role of Education in Generating Environmental Awareness

values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and added tools necessary to understand Notes
and appreciate the interrelationships among man, his culture and his biophysical surroundings.'
The system of education in which education is carried out in accordance with some established or
prescribed rules, is called as Formal Education System. A vast section of population is found in
different schools and colleges. Minds of these people remain ready to learn and curious to know
about what is happening and what is likely to happen around their surroundings. The system of
education in which education is carried out without any pre-established and prescribed rules and
the body concerned with educating the public is free to design the course module, the activity
schedule or the programme concerning environmental awareness, is called as Non- Formal
Education.
32.2.1 Public Awareness through Formal Education
The system of education in which education is carried out in accordance with some established or
prescribed rules, is called as Formal Education System. In India, the formal education is the mandate
of the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD). However, the Ministry of Environment
and Forests has been consulting and interacting with MHRD, National Council of Educational Research
and Training- the apical body of shaping education in schools in India, and HRD- departments of
different states to include the Environmental Education in the curricula at various levels.
I. Environmental Education in Schools Systems: A vast section of population is found in different
schools and colleges. Minds of these people remain ready to learn and curious to know about
what is happening and what is likely to happen around their surroundings. These people can be
motivated through proper formal education to take actions for environment. In view of these facts
the MHRD had also been interacting with the University Grant Commission (UGC) to take
appropriate steps for the inclusion of environmental education at the University Levels.
II. Environmental Appreciation Courses: A course module has been prepared by Indira Gandhi
National Open University (IGNOU) in India, under the direction of the Ministry of Human
Resources Development for Environmental Appreciation Courses. The Environmental Appreciation
Courses are conducted through the mode of Distant Education with the help of various study
centers located across the country. In pursuance of the directives of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of
India, the course module developed by IGNOU for appreciation courses is being used as compulsory
component of its Undergraduate Courses also.
III. Environmental Concepts in Management and Business Studies: The Central Ministry of
Human Resources Development, Government of India launched an initiative in the year 2002,
through which it integrated the environmental concepts and issues in the syllabi of Management
and Business Studies. Accordingly, the experts were assigned duties to examine the course content
and to conduct workshops to sensitize the faculty of Management Colleges towards the issues of
environment. A new curriculum was developed in a Curriculum Development Workshop in which
a Resource Base for Teaching Materials was also developed by the experts. After it, an inventory
of courses offered in India and other countries of the world was developed which was followed by
the development of an inventory of the Resource Materials for the Management and other
professional courses.

After the directives issued by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the MHRD as well as
State Departments of HRD have included the environmental education as a separate
and compulsory subject in the education curricula framed by NCERT, at all levels of
formal education, that is at primary, Secondary, Senior Secondary and College levels.

32.2.2 Public Awareness through Non- Formal Education
The system of education in which education is carried out without any pre-established and
prescribed rules and the body concerned with educating the public is free to design the course
module, the activity schedule or the programme concerning environmental awareness, is called as
Non- Formal Education.

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