Stars and STEM Stories
ECCA Creates Platform to Train Nepalese Students on Conservation and Development
Nepal's Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) organization has been creating a platform for youth in conservation and development so they can develop capacities in different fields and enriched their life skills. ECCA is providing GLOBE training for college students and provides platforms to share their knowledge in different areas like schools, other colleges and their local communities. The trained students organized the Earth Day 2024 program by sharing their knowledge and learning together with primary students and their teachers on GLOBE Protocols in Asha Bidhyashram School in Balaju, Kathmandu as well as organizing different awareness programs in different parts of Nepal.
In many schools in Nepal, science education is not common practice, especially in rural schools. Learning, doing, and practicing science activities are important skills that require motivation. Although many science students are succeeding in their degrees, they are not used to doing hands-on activities which creates discomfort while teaching. To address this issue, ECCA has initiated small activities of science on climate learning through The GLOBE Program's Protocols with youth and teachers. This approach allows students to learn science with fun activities; ECCA strongly believes in knowing, doing, and sustaining the practices. By introducing GLOBE activities to lower grades, ECCA aims to generate interest in science that will continue into upper grades. It will develop confidence among youth and teachers to learn, teach and practice science activities in their daily lives.
Creating science interest is important for doing science from lower grades to generate interest in elementary and high schools. Realization of this is very important among teachers. Teachers should know science and do science together with small children so the students will gain science interest. The GLOBE Program is a perfect tool to ignite and enhance interest in doing science and promoting STEM education.
Images courtesy Yogendra Chitrakar, GLOBE Nepal Country Coordinator.