REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE SOLID WASTE: A CURRICULUM FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS

Abstract

Background: The management of waste is a global concern and a responsibility of each individual. There are several types of waste: solid waste, industrial waste, agricultural waste, and hazardous waste. Solid waste (SW) is the type produced by individuals; it includes non-liquid and non-gaseous unwanted material. Schools constitute a major source for solid waste production. Managing solid waste in schools necessitates knowledge about reducing, reusing, and recycling.

There are different types of schools in Lebanon. Few are ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green schools that receive certificates for this designation. The majority, especially public schools, have neither environmental focus nor initiatives. In fact, most public and many private schools do not have a school health nurse who can play the role of a champion for promoting health and preventing disease in the school community. Instead, they use science school teachers or school assistants whose vital responsibilities include creating educational programs to promote community health. Very few possess a program on environmental health. Hence, developing a prototype curriculum for science school teachers and school assistants on waste management to be rolled out to students helps to cultivate the concept of waste management among students and to motivate them to reduce, reuse and recycle wastes.

Project Aim: This project aims at developing a prototype curriculum to train teachers at schools in Lebanon on the different approaches to reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste. Teachers will then use this curriculum to train their students on principles of solid waste management. The curriculum will also include guidance on designing educational strategies such as didactic sessions, fieldwork activities, and many others for their students.

Methodology: We conducted a literature search to identify the concepts that need to be included in the curriculum and that focus on the different types of indoor and outdoor school-based solid wastes, policies adopted to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste in schools, and interventions to ensure implementation. We also identified the curriculum delivery format to encourage active participation. The product includes a syllabus, learning activities, implementation means, and evaluation tools. Among the teaching methods integrated into the sessions are team-learning activities, real-world exercises, case-based learning activities, presentations, and group discussions. A pre-test is designed to assess prior knowledge of schoolteachers and school assistants on solid waste management and a post-test to assess knowledge acquisition of the project topics. We will present the curriculum to one of the schools to assess feasibility of its implementation, resources needed, and factors that may lead to its failure. Conclusion: This curriculum aims at increasing the knowledge of teachers in schools about solid waste management to cultivate the concept among students and motivate them to reduce, reuse, and separate solid wastes for recycling.