CHITRAL: The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) organised a workshop here on 15th January, highlighting the integration of education for sustainable development and climate change education into national frameworks.
The event, titled “Empowering Change: A Workshop on Systems Thinking for Climate Change and Environmental Education,” was part of the Climate Action Fellowship, 2024, which brings into action the teachers in public sector schools into the arena of climate change to bolster the efforts of mitigating its negative impacts by constructing a resilient community.
Under a grant from the US Mission, Dr Fozia Parveen has been mentoring 50 climate action fellows across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since February 2024.
The fellows developed local action plans tackling issues like tree plantation, awareness campaigns, wildflower garden setups, and composting. Their collaborative efforts culminated in a July 2024 session in Chitral, where they presented their projects despite challenges such as resource constraints and bureaucratic hurdles.
The workshop focused on enhancing understanding of systemic barriers and exploring collaboration opportunities with district administrations and other stakeholders. The discussions also highlighted the importance of empowering educators to lead sustainable climate action.
Participants reviewed existing climate action policies, including the CM Good Governance Policy, Annual Environment Day Celebrations, Climate-Related School Lessons, and Friday Assembly Sessions aimed at boosting environmental literacy.
Major challenges, such as teacher shortages, insufficient classrooms, and high workloads, particularly at the pre-primary and primary levels, were raised. Recommendations included hiring contract-based teachers, strengthening parent-teacher committees (PTCs), and ensuring continuity in climate action efforts despite teacher transfers.
One key outcome was the recognition of the need for a contextualized curriculum tailored to mountain communities in Chitral, while the current curriculum, heavily focused on urban issues, fails to address the unique challenges faced by these communities. Participants also called for research into improving the survival rate of plantations and integrating environmental education into school programs more effectively.
The workshop ended with the launch of a climate activity booklet, developed collaboratively by Noorul Ain, Dr. Fozia Parveen, Nighat Rabbani and Afsana Shaheen.
Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2025
