Strengthening environmental education and integrating the concept of lemur conservation into the school curriculum

A way to save endangered lemurs in the rural commune of Fierenana, Madagascar

By Harison Randrianasolo, Haingotiana Ramiarinjanahary and Luciano Andriamaro

Schoolchildren from Amparihivola public secondary taking care of their garden school.

Genesis of environmental education in Fierenana

The rural commune of Fierenana is located on the western slope of the large, protected area of the Ankeniheny Zahamena Corridor (CAZ), 30km from national road 44. This protected area (PA) of the rainforest of Madagascar has exceptional wealth in terms of fauna and flora which are particular to it. Let us cite for example the presence of 13 species of lemurs, most of which are unfortunately among the species threatened with extinction.

Mrs. Rabodoharimalala Lovasoa, vice-president of the Women's Association Fanantenana, having raised awareness among her colleagues on the need to conserve the biodiversity of the Ankeniheny Zahamena corridor.

Furthermore, this wealth qualifies the Ankeniheny Zahamena Corridor as a globally recognized key conservation site (KBA). In addition, due to the presence of a species of its own, the rural commune of Fierenana with its 7,100 ha forests is also qualified as a member site of the Alliances for Zero Extinction (AZE). So, to preserve its particularities, the CAZ4Lemur project has taken the initiative of undertaking environmental education at all levels.

Varikandana, Varecia variegata (CR), one of the target species of the project.

Who do we work with to conserve lemurs?

For the conservation of this unique biodiversity, Conservation International (CI) has already collaborated with members of the grassroots community living around the protected area. More precisely, a grassroots community (COBA) with the conviction of preserving this forest. The group has benefited from various training, in community life, in participatory ecological monitoring mechanisms, collecting data on the daily activities of lemurs while also quantifying existing threats. In short to fulfil the function of patrollers. For the case of the rural municipality of Fierenana, there are at least nine of this type of association or COBA that we worked with, grouped within the Vahitriniala Federation, bringing together more than 450 members.

Vonona CBO member patrolling the Ranofotsy forest.

At the same time, with all the teachers in primary and secondary schools, public and private in the municipality of Fierenana, the idea of transmitting the concept of environmental conservation and more particularly the conservation of lemurs of Fierenana from a young age seems more effective and essential.

How is the transfer done?

The rural municipality of Fierenana has 28 schools, with at least 147 teachers and more than 6,000 schoolchildren. Conservation International, with the support of the European Union and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States through the BIOPAMA Program, has carried out various stages of supporting teachers in collaboration with the team from the Ministry in charge of the education (MEN). Several themes were chosen to cover the idea of environmental education including firstly the environment itself, the biodiversity of the corridor and the conservation of lemurs in particular, climate change, which is a currently famous subject, education for sustainable development, waste management, composting and school garden.

Schoolchildren from Amparihivola public primary school interested in the periodic exhibition.

The transfer is done in different stages as it is not wise to mobilize all teachers in the same time for the training and thus deprive schoolchildren of their teachers. From the very beginning, the transfer of knowledge was done through a “training for trainers” approach. In other words, the training began with the heads of the respective establishments accompanied by one or two other teachers for the above-mentioned themes. An action and monitoring plan were created and subsequently, those who attended the initial training will in turn train and supervise their peers.

Trainers in action.

Who are the main players?

For the educational administrative subdivision in Madagascar, at the municipality level, school are grouped into a single or several administrative and educational zones (ZAP). For the case of Fierenana, we are working with two ZAPs with their first two respective leaders, added by 147 teachers. Additionally, the trainers come mainly from the Ministry in charge of National Education (MEN), at the central level and belonging to two departments, the Direction of Mass Education and Civics (DEMC) and the GLOBE Program. The intervention of the Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates (GERP) was very helpful.

Sharing the approaches of the BIOPAMA project to the public through national television.

Note that within each establishment, there is a Head as well as teachers, responsible for preschool, primary education to secondary education level. At the primary level, the teacher will be responsible for various subjects and may also be responsible for several levels (Grade 1 to Grade 5); while at the secondary level, the teacher in most cases will be responsible for a specific subject but may be still responsible for several levels (Grade 6 to Grade 9).

Mr. Andriamanana Emilson, Head of ZAP Fierenana 1, confirming that an improvement in the environment is brought by the BIOPAMA project.

The local authorities represented by the municipality of Fierenana, the Mayor and the President of the municipal councillors, are always involved in the procedures given their responsibility in their administrative area.

What tools are used?

Including the idea of conserving lemurs in schools, especially near protected areas, is our goal, the CAZ in particular. However, we must always refer to the national school curriculum (PS) which guides teachers on the approaches to adopt for each subject in each level.

The innovation brought to the realization of this CAZ4Lemur project is to reinforce and stimulate the writing as much as possible of a preparation sheet, specific to the Environment-Biodiversity-Lemur themes before each course. The preparation sheet will be by level (Preschool, Grade 1 to Grade 9) and by subject (Malagasy, French, English, History, Geography, Life and earth science, Common knowledge, Mathematics, Physics, Culture, Song, Drawing, Civic education).

How has the knowledge acquired been transformed into practice?

In addition to the integration of the themes concerned (Environment-Biodiversity-Lemur) in the preparation sheet according to the lessons covered, extracurricular activities are carried out in each school, such as waste management through the setting up of a garbage pit and composting, as well as the establishment of a school garden.

How to evaluate effectiveness?

Periodic bimonthly and quarterly monitoring was undertaken throughout the project to identify the strong points acquired by the teachers as well as the weak points requiring improvement efforts. At the beginning we relied on the transfer of knowledge between teachers through the training for trainer system, but after the verification we tried to re-supervise everything during the school holiday period. In general, training is primarily for the benefit of teachers who have been evaluated at their level.

A social media group has been also adopted as a method and strategy for monitoring and sharing the progress of ongoing activities in each school, where teachers can communicate with each other and share their actions related to BIOPAMA.

Gathering of all teachers from the rural commune of Fierenana, just before the new school year 2024-2025.

However, CI was able to appreciate the various positive messages delivered by schoolchildren during public events, such as festivals. Indeed, CI, in collaboration with the MEN trainers, intervened with the teachers, who transmitted the messages to the schoolchildren, and the latter relayed them to the parents of the students.

What are the problems encountered?

Less feedback was received during the first semester of practice from trained teachers. We received only a few preparation sheets, this is due to insufficient supervision and/or insufficient monitoring. Additionally, just before the official exam, the number of preparation sheets collected decreases, as teachers are overwhelmed by the revision period. Overall, teachers require educational tools to help facilitate the transfer of knowledge and the integration of the concept of lemur conservation into the national school curriculum.

Mr. Ratolojanahary Polinaire, Director of the public primary school of Sahanomana, testifying to the usefulness of training especially for the benefit of schoolchildren.

Key point of the activity

As an output of all entire exercise, we will have a validated and printed document of the preparation sheet made by the different group of teachers from the primary and secondary school of the Municipality of Fierenana. Up to now we have validated 81 preparation sheets, one from preschool, 63 from primary school and 17 from secondary school. Subjects vary from Malagasy, French, English, History, Geography, Life and earth science, Common knowledge, Mathematics, Physics, Culture, Song, Drawing to Civic education. Later, at least, each of the 147 teachers from the two ZAPs will receive a compiled version of the document and then can profit the experience of the others for different subject and differ level. This approach might be tested in another ZAP in the CISCO of Moramanga and the activity might be upscaled elsewhere.

This project is funded by the European Union (EU) through the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme.