EPA to sensitise teacher trainees to protect, manage the environment

Dambai (V/R), Nov. 16, GNA - The Volta Regional Directorate of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun an outreach programme to sensitise teacher trainees on the protection and sustainable management of the environment in the region.

The programme designed by the Directorate was to empower the teacher trainees to impart to their pupils and students the need to identify closely with the environment as the basis for human survival.

Mr Shine Fiagome, Acting Volta Regional Programme Officer of the EPA told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that, given the immense influence teachers have over their pupils and in their communities, they could act as catalysts in raising environmental consciousness among the populace.

He said mankind's quest for survival has progressively led to water and air pollution, land degradation, improper disposal of waste, indiscriminate bushfires, plundering of forests and misuse of agro-chemicals, thus undermining the very foundation of life. Mr Fiagome said a well-informed teacher on environmental protection and management was thus capable of positively influencing several pupils and students, whose understanding of environmental related issues needed to be high.

He said the programme would therefore be sustained until the teacher training institutions in the region became EPA's long-term partners in the teaching of environmental studies at the basic school level. Mr Samuel K. Agbetsiafa, the Co-ordinator of the project said, seven institutions namely, Dambai Teacher Training College, Amedzofe, Saint Francis, Saint Theresa, Akatsi, Peki and Jasikan Teacher Training Colleges have been targeted for the exercise.

He was hopeful that with effective collaboration with other stakeholders, the programme would be successful to justify its replication throughout the country.

Mr Agbetsiafa said activities for the project include lectures, debates, quizzes, film shows and the formation of environmental clubs in the communities, and in basic and senior secondary schools.