Environmental education in Tanzania

Geographical location:

Africa/Madagascar > East Africa > Tanzania

© WWF-Canon / Edward PARKER

Summary

Education has a fundamental role to play in solving Tanzania’s environmental problems. A WWF-supported Tanzania programme is helping teachers, students and community leaders take an active part in decisions and actions that will contribute to successful environmental management.

In collaboration with Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, the programme has produced guidelines for teaching environmental education in primary schools as well as environmental publications covering such subjects as forest, water, soil and wildlife conservation.

Background

The TEEP activities cut across other Tanzanian projects.

The 1995 National Education and Training Policy calls for the need to teach environmental education in schools, adding value to TEEP's work. TEEP's success has enabled development of a regional environemental eduction programme around Lake Victoria (Lake Victoria Catchment EE Programme).

Other partners include the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Malihai Clubs, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, and Ministry of Education.

Background

The TEEP activities cut across other Tanzanian projects.

The 1995 National Education and Training Policy calls for the need to teach environmental education in schools, adding value to TEEP's work. TEEP's success has enabled development of a regional environemental eduction programme around Lake Victoria (Lake Victoria Catchment EE Programme).

Other partners include the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Malihai Clubs, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, and Ministry of Education.

Objectives

Consolidate and intensify the environmental and sustainable development education processes already underway with key programme partners within the formal and non-formal education sectors.

Solution

Education has a fundamental role to play in the resolution of environmental problems and in the achievement of conservation aims. The aim of TEEP therefore is to set social context through which conservation can be achieved.

Achievement

- Greening programmes initiated to all teachers’ colleges, selected primary schools and communities through actions related to alternative management of natural resources like soil erosion control measures, composting and management of wastes, use of fuel efficient stoves, establishment of tree nurseries and vegetable gardens.

- Environemental education (EE) work is complemented by publication of various resource materials. These include EE readers for primary schools and communities, resource book for teacher educators, school greening manual and posters. The publications cover such themes as trees, water, soil and wildlife conservation as well as air pollution, energy and marine conservation.

- In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the programme has produced guidelines for teaching EE in primary schools.

- The programme is involved in the development of the national EE strategy.

Environmenatal Reporting Services at NEMC

 Baraza la Taifa la Hifadhi na Usimamizi wa Mazingira (NEMC) lilianzishwa kwa Sheria ya Mazingira (Sura ya 191) Kifungu cha 16 kama taasisi ya serikali ya kuhifadhi na kusimamia mazingira.  Madhumuni ya kuanzishwa kwa Baraza kama yalivyoainishwa katika kifungu cha 17 cha Sheria hiyo kinaainisha madhumuni ya kuanzishwa kwa Baraza kuwa ni  kuratibu utekelezaji wa sera na Sheria ya Mazingira katika maeneo makuu manne:-
i) Uzingatiaji na usimamizi (enforcement and compliance) wa Sheria ya Mazingira,
ii) Usimamiaji mchakato wa Tathmini ya Athari kwa Mazingira (TAM) (Kuratibu, kufanya mapitio ya ripoti za TAM kutoka kwa wenye miradi na kufuatilia utekelezaji wake),
iii) Uratibu wa ushirikishwaji umma katika kufanya maamuzi yanayohusu masuala ya mazingira na;
iv) Kusimamia kwa ujumla na kuratibu masuala yote yanayohusu mazingira kwa mujibu wa Sheria ya Mazingira na sheria nyingine zozote zilizoandikwa.

Majukumu ya Baraza

Kifungu cha 18 (2) ya Sheria ya Usimamizi wa Mazingira kimeainisha majukumu ya Baraza kama ifuatavyo;
i) Kufanya uhakiki wa Mazingira (Environmental Audit);
ii) Kufanya tathmini ambazo zitasaidia katika kuhifadhi na kusimamia mazingira;
iii) Kufanya utafiti na kuratibu utafiti wa mazingira, kuchunguza, kutathmini na kukusanya taarifa na matokeo ya utafiti na kuzisambaza kwa wadau;
iv) Kufanya mapitio na kutoa mapendekezo ili kuwezesha kupitishwa kwa taarifa/ripoti za (TAM);
v) Kuainisha miradi au programu zinazohitajika kufanyiwa ukaguzi na ufuatiliaji (Audit and Monitoring);
vi) Kuhimiza na kuhakikisha usimamizi na uzingatiaji wa viwango vya taifa katika utekelezaji wa sheria.
vii) Kuanzisha hatua madhubuti zenye lengo la kulinda na kudhibiti ajali zinazoweza kusababisha uharibifu wa mazingira na kubuni njia za kurekebisha maeneo ambayo yamepata uharibifu;
viii) Kutekeleza programu zenye lengo la kutoa elimu ya mazingira na kukuza weledi kwa kushirikiana na taasisi na sekta za wizara mbalimbali kwa lengo la kuhakikisha usimamizi madhubuti na ushiriki wa jamii katika shughuli za kuhifadhi mazingira;
ix) Kuanzisha na kuendeleza mfumo wa kuandaa na kusambaza taarifa za mazingira nchini;
x) Kuchapisha na kusambaza miongozo mbalimbali ya usimamizi wa mazingira inayolenga udhibiti wa uharibifu wa mazingira;
xi) Kutoa ushauri wa kitaalamu na kusaidia taasisi na asasi mbalimbali zinazoshughulika na usimamizi wa maliasili na mazingira, na;
xii) Kufanya shughuli nyingine zozote kwa maagizo ya Waziri wa Mazingira au kutokana na uhitaji wakati wa utekelezaji wa sheria ya Mazingira.

Muundo wa Baraza

Ili kutekeleza majukumu yake kikamilifu Baraza limezigawa shughuli zake za kila siku katika kurugenzi 5 na vitengo 4 kama ifuatavyo:-
i) Kurugenzi ya Uzingatiaji na Utekelezaji wa Sheria za Mazingira (Directorate of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement – DECE);
ii) Kurugenzi ya Tathmini ya Athari kwa Mazingira (Directorate of Environmental Impact Assessment – DEIA);
iii) Kurugenzi ya Mipango ya Mazingira na Utafiti (Directorate of Environmental Planning and Research – DEPR);
iv) Kurugenzi ya Habari, Mawasiliano na Uhamasishaji (Directorate of Environmental Information, Communication and Outreach – DEICO);
v) Kurugenzi ya Utawala na Fedha
vi) Kitengo cha Huduma za Sheria (Legal Services Unit);
vii) Kitengo cha Ukaguzi wa Mahesabu ya Ndani (Internal Audit Unit);
viii) Kitengo cha Mipango na Bajeti (Corporate Planning & Budget Unit – CPU);
ix) Kitengo cha Manunuzi na Ugavi (Procurement Management Unit – PMU).
Aidha, mpaka sasa Baraza lina ofisi 3 za kanda. Kanda hizo ni Nyanda za Juu Kusini, Ziwa na Kaskazini na ofisi za kanda hizo ziko katika miji ya  Mbeya, Mwanza, na Arusha.
Taarifa ya utekelezaji wa kazi za Baraza kuanzia Julai 2005 hadi Machi 2010 itawekwa hapa hivi karibuni.