Scientific progress and science teaching:
Basic knowledge, interdisciplinary and ethical issues

Programme de Formation et d'Information pour l'Environnement (PFIE) (Programme for Training and Information on Environment)

Sahel (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad), Africa

The Programme for Training and Information on Environment aims at conscientising Sahel children who are at school to the dryness and desertification of their zone. It hopes to make them change their attitudes into more positive and respectful ones toward the environment and to acquire a civic sense.
It lays on a triple legitimacy: first institutional for its insertion and perenniality. Then, a pedagogical one with practical consolidation and an active pedagogy. Finally, there is a social one with the development of a partnership and mobilisation of the local population in the project.

To reach this goal, the programme takes place following many axles that are corresponding to many approaches:
- Progressive incorporation of environmental notions and its protection into curriculum: teacher training sessions and pedagogical supervision with active methods; production, experimentation and diffusion of pedagogical tools adapted to the objectives of the Environmental Education (EE).
-Information, Conscientisation of parents and community members to the opportunity given with the Environmental Education in order to bring their awareness on environmental issues and gather their participation via initiatives for environment protection (communication approach). - The school is open to its surroundings because it develops relationships with institutions, technical services, projects and other bodies (partnership approach).

The programme promotes adequate attitudes and behaviours toward environment and natural resources exploitation in general, as well as developing pedagogical tools with an active pedagogy method. While conscientising students to the danger of massive tree cutting (wood is used as a combustible), or poaching or by organising reforestation campaigns. The programme fosters in the students the desire to become protectors of the environment.

The project is being implemented in each country by the services of the National Education in collaboration with the services of Nature and Environment. It is under regional guardianship of the Inter-States Committee for the Fight against Dryness in Sahel (Comité Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse au Sahel, CILSS). It is conceived and managed by the Sahel Institute (Institut du Sahel, INSAH) which is a body of the CILSS.

INSAH 293, avenue OUA, Badalabougou, BP 1530 Bamako, MALI
tel : (223) 22 21 48 / 23 02 37
Website: http://www.insah.org
M.S. Sompo Ceesay
E-mail : ceesay@insahdir.insah.ml


Institutional partner
European Union

Experimental Phase started in 1990.

Internal and external evaluations have shown the success of the programme, whose second phase was finished at the end of 2000.