Green study unwanted
Posted by barunroy on June 6, 2008
Darjeeling, June 5: The introduction of environmental science as a compulsory subject in schools might be seen as a stepping stone in making students aware of the issues related to the sustainability of the earth, but a discussion held today painted an opposite picture.
Students and teachers alike said the subject was of no use since the marks were not included in the grand total.
“When we are asked to prepare four projects in a year, we copy from other sources. Environment education might have been made compulsory, but the marks are not included in the grand total. We are not interested in this subject,” said a Class XII student of St Robert’s High School, Darjeeling.
“We are not aware of getting any jobs if we pursue the subject as part of higher education,” said another student.
The thematic discussion titled “Challenges of teaching environmental sciences in Darjeeling Hills”, organised by Network, a Darjeeling-based NGO, as part of the World Environment Day, provided a perfect platform to students to air their opinions on the subject.
The students and teachers had been first divided into groups to prepare presentations and then asked to speak their minds.
The teachers, who seconded the students’ opinion, said it was time that greater thoughts were applied while framing the syllabus.
“There is hardly any time for field study. There are also too many books with several concepts on various environmental issues. This needs to be streamlined. And there are no orientation programmes on the subject for teachers,” said Saibal Sengupta, an environmental science teacher from St Robert’s High School. [The Telegraph]
