Energy Education and Awareness for a Sustainable Future

Energy Education and Awareness for a Sustainable Future

This workshop on Energy Education and Awareness for a Sustainable Future is part of the Sustainable Energy Capacity Building Initiative (SECBI). The objective is to train teachers on best practices related to energy and environmental education. The OAS Department of Sustainable Development will provide this training using the “Learn and Save” educational materials to strengthen the energy literacy in schools in the Caribbean.

Specialists from Chile and Mexico will join efforts with the OAS team to train teachers from Dominican Republic. Jessica Miranda, the head of Education at the Chilean Agency on Energy Efficiency (AChEE) will share the educational program developed together with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Education of Chile for early childhood, primary and secondary education. The government of Chile created these programs to promote a more efficient use of energy by creating awareness of the economic benefits, environmental impacts and potential use for sustainable development. In addition to school programs, AChEE also created an educational campaign for civil society, a strategy for the integration of energy efficiency in the curricula of universities, and the curricula across technical and professional careers.

Additionally, Montserrat Williams, national coordinator of teacher training and Carmen Leon, responsible for teaching curricula based on state of Michoacan, will share the model of science education through the investigation of the “Program Adopt a Talent”. This program works with a teaching methodology that promotes critical thinking through the development of scientific, social, communicative, creative and social entrepreneurship skills. Its objective is to provide long term support to children and young scientific talent. Currently, PAUTA works with 1,640 children and young adults throughout 47 schools and providing direct assistance to four Mexican states.

The direct beneficiaries will be regional and district education ministry technicians and teachers from 45 schools in five districts of the Dominican Republic. Representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Environment, National Institute of Education and Also there will be representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mines , Ministry of Environment, National Institute of Education and Training of Teachers (INAFOCAM), National Institute of Water Resources and SurFuturo Foundation.

The Sustainable Energy Capacity Building Initiative (SECBI) falls under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas umbrella and is implemented by the OAS Department of Sustainable Development with funding provided by the United States Permanent Mission to the OAS.