MANILA, Philippines — In view of global concerns on the environment, the Department of Education (DepEd) Saturday urged all public and private schools to lead the campaign on environmental awareness by pursuing school-based activities seeking to preserve and protect the environment.

Through DepEd Order No. 52, Education Secretary Armin Luistro ordered the strengthening of environmental education in public and private schools nationwide.

Pursuant to Republic Act 9512, Luistro urged public and private schools to undertake activities that include incorporating lessons on the environment in Science subject.

“Environmental concerns shall also be used as tools for classroom drills, discussions and activities and shall also be taught and be integrated in related learning areas,” he explained.

Luistro also urged all school administrators, officials, and teachers to use various instructional materials such as books, visual aids, teaching guides and materials. “This will help in making the students aware of the concerns and issues on the environment to promote students’ participation in environmental activities and advocacies and instill in their minds the need to preserve and protect the environment,” he added.

Teachers are also advised to attend lecture-seminars, workshops, conferences, and other forums relating to environmental education.

Luistro also ordered the Bureau of Elementary Education, Bureau of Secondary Education and Bureau of Alternative Learning System “to integrate environmental education by including issues and concerns in their review of existing
curricula.”

He also ordered the establishment of the Youth for Environment in School Organizations (YES-O) in all public and private elementary (Grades I-VI) and secondary schools.

Luistro said that establishing, registering, monitoring and evaluating the YES-O and other related organizations shall be done by the DepEd’s Center for Students and Co-Curricular Affairs.

“All schools will be furnished with guidelines in organizing the YES-O,” he added.

The DepEd chief reminded that student’s membership in the YES-O is voluntary and “no membership fee shall be collected from the students.”

If there will be voluntary contributions of student-members, he said that it “shall be regulated to ensure that these are not excessive.”

Some of the proposed activities in line with promoting environmental education include greening program such as tree planting and clean-up drive; fire prevention and other disaster risks management; anti-pollution; water conservation, power and energy conservation; and waste disposal.