Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Eco-Education Under Scrutiny

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

RIO DE JANEIRO, Mar 25 2006 (IPS) - The southern Brazilian city of Joinville will host the 5th Ibero-American Congress on Environmental Education, Apr. 5-8. In Brazil, 96 percent of primary school students attend classes specializing in environmental education. There are 32 million children who, in addition to classwork, also participate in such things as environmental and quality of life commissions, in which “a youth educates another youth,” mobilizing students and the local community, explained Raquel Trajber, general coordinator for environmental ed at the Ministry of Education.

he theme of the congress is “The contribution of environmental education to planetary sustainability” — the event is expected to draw 4,500 participants, far surpassing expectations, and will entail a variety of symposiums and an environmental technology fair.