Climate change is a societal issue. Why is teaching it limited to memorizing science?

 

Gaea Katreena Cabico, Cristina Chi - Philstar.com

Climate change is a societal issue. Why is teaching it limited to memorizing science?

While DepEd requires climate change to be taught in an “integrated and multidisciplinary” approach, students and teachers interviewed by Philstar.com say that there is little opportunity for science and social science teachers to collaborate on teaching climate change.

MANILA, Philippines — Anita Napoto was only six years old when Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) — one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded — pummeled her hometown of Quinapondan in Eastern Samar in 2013.

At the time, Napoto had no idea what caused the monster storm that flattened her neighborhood. All she remembered was the fear she felt while staying inside her home’s comfort room as the floodwater rose and moving to a relative’s house where she and her family waited for the storm to pass.

Now 15, Napoto knows that climate change is fueling cyclones to become stronger. For survivors like her, Yolanda made it clear that climate change is a reality. 

And yet Napoto herself says she does not recall being taught what fossil fuels and local climate change policies are. Climate change “was not actually taught, but was only mentioned” in school, said the Grade 10 student.

Filipino children like Napoto continue to be disproportionately at risk of experiencing climate disasters. But climate change still does not feature as prominently in most class discussions in public schools, with lessons on climate change confined to being taught in just a single quarter — or two to three months — in Grade 9, DepEd’s Science curriculum shows. 

During this limited time, the topic of the factors that cause climate change are lumped together with the topic of the global climate phenomenon.   

While DepEd requires climate change to be taught in an “integrated and multidisciplinary” approach, students and teachers interviewed by Philstar.com say that there is little opportunity for science and social science teachers to collaborate on teaching climate change.

Unsatisfied with lessons on climate change, Napoto said there must be in-depth discussions on the causes of the crisis. 

“In that way, students will be more knowledgeable about this issue and can make actions to end this,” she told Philstar.com.

Climate change education still stuck to basics

Three students from Fortune High School in Marikina City similarly told Philstar.com that they are “not satisfied” with their lessons on climate change, with 15-year-old Elijah Chua remarking: “We want to know deeper. Not just the factors that affect the climate.”

Chua and his two classmates said that they were taught that "stopping fossil fuels" is one of the ways to curb the climate crisis. But they were not taught which countries needed to stop the use of dirty energy. 

"The countries that need to stop using fossil fuels were not mentioned in class. No specific country — but all countries," Chua said. Glossing over details like which countries produce the most emissions risks missing discussions on responsibility, and on loss and damage, and climate reparations.

How much time is typically devoted to teaching climate change? For instance, junior high schools in CALABARZON only tackle fundamentals of climate change for two weeks in Grade 9 science classes, according to its publicly available learning modules. In comparison, lessons on volcanoes are taught for four weeks.

he DepEd earlier said that “there is a need to strengthen [the presence of climate change concepts] in the curriculum by refining learning competencies and standards and monitoring learning delivery.”

In senior high school, a special subject called Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction is offered as part of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand. Climate change competencies can also be found in subjects such as earth science, and life science. 

Teaching climate change across subjects

According to the K to 12 curriculum, climate change concepts are supposed to be integrated in 12 subjects: Science, Health, Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Mathematics, English, Filipino, Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan & Technology and Livelihood Economics, and Music, Arts, and PE.

However, Leonora Calicdan, a Grade 9 science teacher from Mangaldan High School in Pangasinan, said she is mostly unaware of how climate change is taught in the social sciences. 

“I just do not know what competencies are in social science. But I know they are discussing this,” said Calidan, who has taught science for 25 years.

Mark Bello, Fortune High School’s Grade 9 science teacher, said that teachers from different subject areas usually have different schedules and have no time to “sit down” and plan an interdisciplinary class output on climate change.

Leah Cortez, a professor at the Philippine Normal University who teaches science teachers in graduate school, said that an interdisciplinary approach is essential in teaching a topic as complex and multidimensional as climate change. 

“We really have to understand community, environment, politics—those are not separate from climate change… We have to integrate this knowledge in various disciplines so they can develop a more holistic understanding,” Cortez said. 

Chuckie Calsado, who teaches biology subjects at the Philippine Science High School, incorporates social issues in class discussions so students can better understand the political and economic influences that impact climate change. 

“So if we do not include social issues in science discussions, we will be creating scientists and scholars—kabayo na may takip sa mata na nakatingin lang sa harap. You cannot see that around you there are issues that impact you,” he said.

Another problem: Bello also said that his students typically struggle with the application of climate change concepts learned in class, especially in their “daily life.”

Counterproductive school programs 

DepEd established its sole student-led environment organization YES-O in 2003 and now touts it as one of the ways students can apply what they have learned about climate change in class. The organization’s activities include tree planting, clean-up drives, waste management, and environmental information and education. 

“We make it fun. We make it happy. We do it to pass the time. We show students that we’re not just all about clean-ups,” said 15-year-old Jeremy Agullana, vice president of Fortune High School’s YES-O club. 

The problem is not all YES-O clubs are managed by science teachers with a comprehensive knowledge about climate change, Cortez said.

“Based on my students’ reports, they encourage their students to join these clubs. But once they’re (members), they don’t use or encourage students when it comes to actual climate change and environmental concerns,” the PNU professor added.

Calicdan said that the YES-O club in Mangaldan National High School focuses on waste segregation and planting activities, as well as joining interschool and interclass competitions related to these.

But well-intentioned programs on bottle recycling and class competitions based on reusing materials can be counterproductive and inadvertently encourage students to produce more waste, Cortez pointed out. 

These projects are “superficial” and not sustainable in the long run, the PNU professor said.

“I scold my students (who are public school teachers) in grad school. When they tell me that they ask their students to bring bottles for recycling, I tell them: you’re encouraging students to use more bottles because you incentivize them to bring as much as they can,” Cortez said in Filipino.

“In one instance, one teacher said they asked their students to create a gown using recyclable materials. Their students used newly bought plastic spoons and forks. What’s the logic of that?” Cortez said. 

With just slightly off-the-mark messaging, recycling programs can lead to the unintended consequence of getting students to compete against each other in terms of who can bring — therefore, create — the most trash, Cortez said.

‘Systemic, not individual issue’

Napoto said she is worried about how climate change will chart the course of the world and impact her future. 

The Yolanda survivor said this is why she “follows advice on doing good things like using eco-bags, paper bags, not cutting trees.”  

Calsado said that the challenge is still on how to shift the focus away from individual solutions to curbing waste to a more systemic approach.

“The challenge is: how do you make children understand and process by themselves, that it’s not an individual issue. It’s a systemic issue, it’s a class issue,” Calsado added.

Why is WASH a crucial element of response and recovery from climate disasters?

In this photo taken on January 5, 2022, residents carry bottled water given as aid from a non-governmental organisation in Burgos town, Siargao island, weeks after super Typhoon Rai devastated the island.

Gaea Katreena Cabico, Ann Gabrielle Domingo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — When Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) struck southern and central parts of the Philippines in December 2021, people’s access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities was compromised, leading to increased risk of water-borne diseases. 

Typhoon-ravaged residents were left with no money to buy drinking water or were forced to rely on water from open springs and on hand pumps contaminated by mud, flood and sea waters. 

According to the International Federation of Red Cross, there were over 400 cases of diarrhea and gastroenteritis, likely resulting from contamination of water sources, in Odette-hit areas. Eight people reportedly died due to diarrhea. 

In the town of Del Carmen on Siargao Island, a child died after drinking contaminated water. While it was an isolated case, according to the town mayor, the incident highlighted the nexus of health and climate change.

“If we didn’t lack water supply due to the emergency, maybe [the death of the child] wouldn’t happen, there wouldn’t be a reaction to drink the water in the tank,” said Jerlyn Rabaca, administrator of Espoir School of Life. Espoir, which is situated on a resettlement area in Del Carmen, is a non-profit organization that provides free education to underprivileged children. 

Damaged water infra 

According to the United Nations Children's Fund, some 2.4 million people needed water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support following ‘Odette.’ The typhoon also damaged 141 water structures and over 410 sanitation facilities. 

“During climate disasters, infrastructure gets damaged. Not just electricity, communication, but most importantly, water,” said Jenica Dizon, country director of Waves for Water Philippines. The presence of Waves for Water in the country began in 2013 as a response to Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded in the world. 

Extreme weather events and other climate impacts contaminate water supply, increasing risk of water-borne illnesses such as diarrhea and cholera to which children are particularly vulnerable. 

Dr. Renzo Guinto, who specializes in planetary and public health, has observed this reality in coastal municipalities in the Philippines. Guinto found that Alabat in Quezon province and Ajuy in Iloilo province are more prone to water-borne diseases due to intensifying flooding from sea-level rise. 

In 2050, climate change could be responsible for approximately 32,954 additional diarrheal deaths worldwide among children aged 0 to 15, the World Health Organization estimated. 

The WHO stressed that investing in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a core element in both preparedness and response, and prevention and mitigation of the impacts of future emergencies. 

“It’s paramount to plan for and create more resilient water infrastructure because access to clean water is a human right and a basic need. Without water, there really is no life,” Dizon said. 

Crucial need

With water infrastructure damaged and essential health services crippled by the pandemic, access to clean water is an immediate need to prevent the spread of infectious and water-borne illnesses, and life-threatening dehydration.

In the case of Del Carmen, the town’s mangrove forest protected the residents from large waves brought by Odette, allowing owners of water refilling stations to immediately continue their operations, Mayor Alfredo Coro II said.

However, the water coming from the municipality’s water provider “took a while to be stabilized” after the storm, he said.

According to Coro, children aged five and below, pregnant and lactating mothers, senior citizens and persons with disabilities were prioritized in the provision of clean drinking water after the onslaught of Odette. The local government also focused on providing water supply to island barangays.

Non-profit organizations like Waves for Water played an important role in the response to the storm. Waves for Water deploys clean water filtration systems, water pump generators, and catchment tanks to disaster-hit areas.

DOH, WHO guidelines

Besides ensuring proper facilities, Guinto believes that normalizing WASH practices are crucial elements in disasters and humanitarian settings. 

In July 2020, the Department of Health issued the “National Policy on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergencies and Disasters” in recognition of the country’s disproportionate vulnerability to disasters and emergencies. 

The administrative order’s main objective is to “institutionalize and implement the WASH cluster approach at all levels of governance to ensure the coordinated delivery of appropriate, effective and timely WASH services in emergencies and disasters.” 

For the WHO, the top three priorities in promoting WASH for vulnerable communities are ensuring sufficient amounts of safe water, arranging basic sanitation necessities and promoting good hygiene practices. 

The United Nations health agency said the first priority necessitates that each person be provided with 15 liters of water, but this can be limited to 7.5 liters after a disaster. Water sources must also be protected in the case of contamination. 

Toilet facilities should be provided immediately when sanitation structures are damaged due to disasters, it added. Securing toilet facilities prevents the further spread of contamination to community members or water sources. 

If toilet systems are damaged beyond immediate repair, the community should be given designated defecation fields and provided shovels for families to dig small holes into to bury excretions. 

Lastly, good hygiene should still be promoted to prevent disease transmission. To ensure that good hygiene practices are followed, enough water should be provided for rinsing after excretion. The water can also be used for handling infants’ wastes and food preparation. 

While the DOH and the WHO have already integrated WASH into their disaster setting guidelines, Guinto believes that simply providing recommendations is not enough. 

“What needs to be further enhanced is the way we implement these guidelines,” said Guinto, who is also the inaugural director of the Planetary and Global Health Program of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine. 

“Further, we must find ways to ensure the sustainability of WASH infrastructure after the disaster response phase. When communities return to normalcy, their water systems must not only be restored, but made even much better,” he added.

WASH and education

“After the typhoon, because of what happened, we've also learned that water is important and that now we give value to it and people also saw the need of the island to have clean water,” Espoir’s Rabaca said.

The resettlemtn area of Espoir has a water system with 30 faucets that can be accessed by community members and a dry compost toilet. 

Rabaca also emphasized that access to water plays a big role in the learning of students. 

“We connect water to the education that we are giving by making sure that they go to school healthy, that they go to school after taking a bath. We’re making sure that if they go home, their dishes have been washed, that they can wear uniforms on the next day because they can wash their clothes,” Rabaca said. 

She added that Espoir, in partnership with other private firms, plans to put up a “STEM Lab for Humanities” which will tackle the importance access to access to water inside classrooms.

Six people killed, over 100K affected by Christmas rains, floods

Gaea Katreena Cabico - Philstar.com

This handout photo taken on December 25, 2022 and received on December 26 from the Philippine Coast Guard shows rescuers evacuating people from a flooded area in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. Two

Handout / Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) / AFP

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:27 p.m.) — Authorities said six people died and 19 were missing as parts of the country experienced heavy rains and floods during the Christmas weekend.

In a bulletin released Monday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said two individuals in Camarines Sur and four in Misamis Occidental were reported dead. 

Ten people in Bicol region, six in Eastern Visayas, and three in Northern Mindanao were missing. Three individuals were injured.

The shear line—or the point where the cold and warm winds converge—will continue to bring rain showers to Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Palawan that may trigger floods and landslides, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

The rains and floods caused by the shear line have affected 23,762 families or 100,691 individuals. Around 9,216 households or 46,672 people have been staying in evacuation centers.

The NDRRMC said the estimated damage to infrastructure has reached P5.28 million in Bicol region and Northern Mindanao. Forty-eight houses were also damaged in Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.

The cost of agricultural damage in Bicol region was pegged at P52.7 million.

The agency said it has provided assistance worth P2.04 million to the affected residents, deployed search and rescue teams, and activated regional emergency operations centers.