MAP staff Joins “Mangrove Conservation Education Consultative Meeting and Study Trip”
Contributed by:
Ms. Mery Christina Nainggolan,
MAP-Asia
Volunteer Intern
Volunteer Intern
On 9-10 September
2015, Jim Enright, Asia
Coordinator and Mery Christina Nainggolan, MAP Intern from Indonesia, attended a
mangrove conservation consultative meeting and study trip in Bangkok. MAP-Asia was invited by Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA) to participate in a consultative meeting
and study visit to Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn Primary School and Bangpakong
Bovorn Witthayayon Secondary School, as SEAMEO SPAFA has been associated with
both schools in their mangrove conservation education by supporting a
Mangrove Eco-museum Project and promoting mangrove education teaching
materials.
2015, Jim Enright, Asia
Coordinator and Mery Christina Nainggolan, MAP Intern from Indonesia, attended a
mangrove conservation consultative meeting and study trip in Bangkok. MAP-Asia was invited by Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA) to participate in a consultative meeting
and study visit to Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn Primary School and Bangpakong
Bovorn Witthayayon Secondary School, as SEAMEO SPAFA has been associated with
both schools in their mangrove conservation education by supporting a
Mangrove Eco-museum Project and promoting mangrove education teaching
materials.
SEAMEO SPAFA is an
international organization dedicated to promoting co-operation in education,
science and culture in Southeast Asia.
international organization dedicated to promoting co-operation in education,
science and culture in Southeast Asia.
Participants are welcomed by Director of Bang Khun Tien District and School Director at Khlong Phitthaya Longkron Primary School |
SEAMEO directors,
mangrove environmentalists, educators and practitioners from Khlong Phitthaya
Longkorn Primary School and Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon Secondary School
Thailand joined this event. The objectives of this study visit and consultative meeting was
(1) to discuss possible collaboration in
multi-disciplinary project related to mangrove conservation education, as
SEAMEO SPAFA aims to promote and expand the school’s best practices in mangrove
conservation education to other schools in SEAMEO member countries ;
multi-disciplinary project related to mangrove conservation education, as
SEAMEO SPAFA aims to promote and expand the school’s best practices in mangrove
conservation education to other schools in SEAMEO member countries ;
(2) to
identify issues of priority for further action;
identify issues of priority for further action;
(3) to establish working group
to examine the areas of collaboration and collective interest.
to examine the areas of collaboration and collective interest.
Students learning in the mangrove classroom at Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon Secondary School |
The study visit on
9 September 2015 began at Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon School, a secondary school which is located in Bang Pakong. The
participants walked arround the mangrove study area after a welcome speech by Mr. Sakdetch Jumanee, Director of the school. Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon School
is situated in a mangrove environment, covering eleven hectares of land and
mangroves.
9 September 2015 began at Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon School, a secondary school which is located in Bang Pakong. The
participants walked arround the mangrove study area after a welcome speech by Mr. Sakdetch Jumanee, Director of the school. Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon School
is situated in a mangrove environment, covering eleven hectares of land and
mangroves.
Today this school provides education to about eight hundred school
children and hires some eighty teachers. SEAMEO SAPAFA began collaboration with
this school in 2006 to help develop its Mangrove Eco – Museum project by
improving the school curriculum using the mangrove as the nature and cultural
learning centre.
children and hires some eighty teachers. SEAMEO SAPAFA began collaboration with
this school in 2006 to help develop its Mangrove Eco – Museum project by
improving the school curriculum using the mangrove as the nature and cultural
learning centre.
The assistance includes creating and installing informational
signs in Thai and English languages and collaborating with the school in
organising a regional workshops in 2007 on making mangrove eco-museum.
signs in Thai and English languages and collaborating with the school in
organising a regional workshops in 2007 on making mangrove eco-museum.
The
outcome of the Mangrove Eco-Museum Project is to infuse
environmental subject matter and mangrove conservation issues in the classroom lessons to
cultivate students’ awarness and good
environmental practices. The school has made effective use of its natural mangrove as a learning area for students, and also
facilitated frequent study visits from other schools and institutions for
environmental awareness raising.
outcome of the Mangrove Eco-Museum Project is to infuse
environmental subject matter and mangrove conservation issues in the classroom lessons to
cultivate students’ awarness and good
environmental practices. The school has made effective use of its natural mangrove as a learning area for students, and also
facilitated frequent study visits from other schools and institutions for
environmental awareness raising.
Student, Nattason Chunhakantaros showing organic vegetable site to MAP intern, Ms. Mery Christina Nainggolan at Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn Primary School |
After lunch the study visit continued to Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn, a primary school located in Bang Khun Tien District, under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). It is unique in the fact that it’s the only school in Bangkok with mangroves. As study tour participants arrived
at the school they were welcomed by the student’s performance of
traditional music and dancing, followed by the introductory remarks delivered by
Director of Bang Khun Thien District.
at the school they were welcomed by the student’s performance of
traditional music and dancing, followed by the introductory remarks delivered by
Director of Bang Khun Thien District.
After having enjoyed
some traditional snacks prepared by the students, participants were guided to
visit the
mangrove study area, students’ environmental conservation activites booths, and the organic vegetable
project site. Khlong Phittaya Longkorn School is set in natural environment
that includes mangroves.
some traditional snacks prepared by the students, participants were guided to
visit the
mangrove study area, students’ environmental conservation activites booths, and the organic vegetable
project site. Khlong Phittaya Longkorn School is set in natural environment
that includes mangroves.
The school’s effort to conserve, protect and restore the mangrove
and environment are based on its curriculum, cultivating awarness of the
environment amongst its student through daily activites that sustain conservation
practices. As initial undertakings, SEAMEO
SPAFA collaborated with the Khlong Phittaya Longkorn School in publishing a
booklet on the school’s mangrove rehabilitation, and in promoting the school as
an exemplary model in conservation. “The School in the Mangrove” which can be
download as a pdf by clicking this link: http://www.seameo-spafa.org/resource_detail.php?tid=487&c=4
and environment are based on its curriculum, cultivating awarness of the
environment amongst its student through daily activites that sustain conservation
practices. As initial undertakings, SEAMEO
SPAFA collaborated with the Khlong Phittaya Longkorn School in publishing a
booklet on the school’s mangrove rehabilitation, and in promoting the school as
an exemplary model in conservation. “The School in the Mangrove” which can be
download as a pdf by clicking this link: http://www.seameo-spafa.org/resource_detail.php?tid=487&c=4
Students on the mangrove walkway at Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn Primary School |
A consultative meeting was held the following day at the
Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok. The
points of discussion are:
Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok. The
points of discussion are:
(A) Areas
of collaboration: establishment of sister schools between Thailand and
Indonesia;
of collaboration: establishment of sister schools between Thailand and
Indonesia;
(B) Areas of
collaboration concerns will be:
collaboration concerns will be:
- Science teaching;
- Sufficiency economy;
- Conservation and restoration to be sustainable at the community level;
(C) SEAMEO SPAFA will be in charge of
institutionalizing the collaboration between Khlong Phitthaya Longkorn Primary
School and Bangpakong Bovorn Witthayayon Secondary School Thailand, partner
SEAMEO Centres(i.e. BIOTROP, SEAQIS and SEAMOLEC) and MAP;
(D) Important to
instill values
education concerned with environmental protection at a young age to follow them
to adult.
MAP welcomes this new partnership with SEAMEO SPAFA with the hope MAP’s
own Marvelous Mangrove school curriculum can be utilized by selected schools
with the mutual goal of increasing mangrove conservation awareness among
students in the Southeast Asia Region.
own Marvelous Mangrove school curriculum can be utilized by selected schools
with the mutual goal of increasing mangrove conservation awareness among
students in the Southeast Asia Region.