The National government has axed funding for the successful and innovative Enviroschools programme in the Budget.
The Greens are passionate about Enviroschools - it was a successful Green Budget bid that secured funding for the programme initially, and many of our members and supporters have witnessed the programme first hand as parents of children who attend Enviroschools.
Our children are learning to respect and value the natural environment, save energy and water, recycle and compost, grow their own food, think about smart transport, and understand the connections between their actions and the future of the planet.
These are essential skills for young people in today’s world, and should be a core part of the curriculum, not a luxury 'add on'.
Take action to save Enviroschools:
- Visit your local National MP, and express your disappointment that this successful programme is no longer supported. Keep it positive and personal - if you have a child at an Enviroschool, talk about what environmental education has meant for your child and your family. Ask that the funding be reinstated.
- Write a letter or email to your local National MP and cc John Key – we need to keep it on the Prime Minister’s radar.
- Write letters to the editor outlining the importance of environmental education in NZ schools and calling for Enviroschools funding to be continued.
Points you might like to include in letters / emails
- A quarter of our schools are Enviroschools, reaching 212,870 New Zealand children. This is a positive, successful and popular programme that it is achieving great things at a low cost to government.
- These days, knowledge and skills in sustainability is not a luxury ‘add on’; it needs to be an integral part of our children’s learning.
- Enviroschools are delivering on the government’s priorities:
Economic growth and jobs: Sustainability is a major growth area and young people need to be eco-literate to survive in the global economy today.
Science and innovation: Enviroschool programmes foster children’s interest in environmental science, technology and primary production
Literacy and numeracy: Enviroschool programmes regularly utilise other learning skills, such as reporting, surveys, and analysis.
- Enviroschools enable children to become in the educator in the home, sharing their new found knowledge and skills with their family.
- Teachers need the curriculum support, professional development and resources to effectively teach environmental education. They cannot adequately deliver this programme without external support from the government.
Resources
- Listen to Catherine's latest podcast - Losing our Enviroschools?
- View Catherine putting some tough questions to John Key in the House
- View Catherine’s speech in the house about Enviroschools
- View the Enviroschools New Zealand video featuring students in the Dunedin area
- View John Key speaking about the value of Enviroschools in his speech to the 2007 Enviroschools YOUth Jam.
Finally, if you have a child at an Enviroschool and have positive stories, anecdotes or photos that you would be happy for us to use as examples in our campaign, please send them to Caitlin Carew at environment@greens.org.nz.
Thank you for supporting the future of sustainability education in New Zealand.
