Environmental education is one of the key topics covered by the National Plan of Action for Environment and Sustainable Development (PNAEDD), adopted with the aim to raise awareness and inform the public about the seriousness of the environmental situation in Algeria. Following recommendations of the Algerian National Committee on education reform, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Environment and the Ministry of National Education signed an agreement in April 2002 to develop and implement a programme to strengthen environmental education in the school curriculum and to create additional green activities through clubs for educational institutions.
At the institutional level, the initiative created the Interdepartmental Committee of Education, Physical Planning and Environment to coordinate, implement and monitor the programme. The partners also established joint education committees for the design of educational tools for primary, intermediate and secondary schools. These educational tools include the educator’s teaching guide, a green club kit and a workbook for students. The programme also established green clubs that would allow students and facilitators to build projects and activities in order to address environmental issues and consider practical solutions. Moreover, the project partners organised a number of seminars and workshops as part of the programme across the country to train teachers and other facilitators. The implementation of the environmental education is assessed by the national government’s annual report.
Information is available on the Ministry of Physical Planning and Environment’s website at: http://www.mate.gov.dz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=162.