Press Releases

New Environmental Educational Program to be Launched

October 31, 2006

The Jane Goodall Institute’s (JGI’s) Roots & Shoots program and the US Government formally marked the start of the new Environmental Education Program for Public primary schools and Madrassa Schools on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 at Mtongani Primary School in Kunduchi. The guest of honor was Minister of State Vice President’s Office responsible for Environment Prof. Mark Mwandosya.

This programme is for two years and funded by the US Government in Tanzania. School children from five (5) participating schools along with over 50 special guests, including, but not limited to, the Minister of States in Vice President’s Office, responsible for Environment, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, the Ambassador of the United States, USAID Mission Director, representatives from the districts involved in the programme and the President of Jane Goodall Institute (JGI - USA), gathered for speeches, performances, as well as a tree planting and dedication.

For the first time, an initiative that focuses specifically on engaging young people will seek to demonstrate the power of combining environmental education and service learning into a youth-focused, youth-driven program that seeks to address environmental education issues on Tanzania.

The programme will involve over 2,500 students and 440 teachers in 11 districts, including 4 districts in Zanzibar. In collaboration with Baraza Kuu la Waislamu Tanzania (BAKWATA), JGI “Roots & Shoots” Program will reach 12,650 madrassa students as well as 12,650 primary school students. In addition, 220 madrassa teachers and 220 primary school teachers will be trained in Environmental Education. Techniques for sharing this information with other teachers and students, and how to create and support environmental conservation initiatives in schools and Roots & Shoots clubs will be some of the components in the training sessions.

Roots & Shoots program of the Jane Goodall Institute has been in operation since 1991, when a group of 16 students joined and formed Roots & Shoots in order to educate and involve young people and to help shape the future leaders of Tanzania and the world. To date, “Roots & Shoots programme” has registered more than 100,000 members in the country and has spread in 96 countries in the world. Working within schools and the community, its members use resources from around the world to work towards preserving and improving their natural and social environment.