Teachers sharpen climate change knowledge

THE ministries of Environment, Water and Climate and Primary and Secondary Education have engaged as they step up efforts to raise climate change knowledge in society through teachers and learners.

Addressing an awareness workshop on Ozone Layer Protection and Climate Change Management for Midlands province for Science teachers in Gweru, acting director of Climate Change in the Environment, Water and Climate ministry, Mr Kudzai Ndidzano, said the solutions to environmental challenges heavily depended on human interventions, hence the need to raise climate knowledge among educators.

“Awareness is critical and we have incorporated the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry through the annual Ozone Layer Protection schools competitions to increase knowledge amongst teachers and learners across the country,” he said.

“That way, we are stepping up efforts to raise climate change knowledge.”

Mr Ndidzano said his ministry prepared education materials for teachers and pupils to boost their climate knowledge base.

Midlands provincial education director Mrs Agnes Gudo said the initiative to raise teacher awareness on climate change was handy as climate knowledge was still low in the education sector.

“We welcome the enlightenment that teachers are getting on causes, effect and impacts of ozone layer depletion and climate change,” she said.

“The knowledge will be imparted to learners and it will cascade down to communities.”

Added Mrs Gudo: “Educators are powerful transmitters of information, hence it is important to equip them with the correct information.

“They also interface with climate induced challenges, especially those stationed in rural areas.”