An Environmental Education Needs Assessment Study in the Carazo Department of Nicaragua

Nicaragua, the largest and poorest country in Central America, possesses abundant natural resources that have been depleted and exploited at an alarming rate. Over the past 20 years, the Nicaraguan government has undertaken several measures to address the country's loss of natural resources. One of the measures implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MARENA) requires that every department (a political entity similar to a state) appoint an environmental commission which, in turn, will develop a strategic plan for environmental education in the department. During 1997 and 1998, a needs assessment study was performed to assist the department of Carazo in defining actions that would help the department's environmental education commission develop an effective, locally-based education plan. The study's purpose was to identify environmental education needs, to compile information on current environmental education programs and available environmental education resources, and to recommend subsequent actions for use in Carazo. Based on rapid rural and participatory appraisal methods, the study used multiple methods to gather triangulated data. Personal interviews were conducted with 23 environmental education leaders representing government and non-governmental organizations on the national, departmental, and municipal levels. Surveys were conducted with approximately 10 percent of Carazo's teachers to determine the level of environmental education currently being included in the formal school system and to outline the needs and wants of teachers with regard to environmental education. Data were also collected from primary and secondary documents as well as through a focus group to determine the environmental education needs of the department, and gather information on and evaluate the perceived success of existing programs and available environmental education resources. The results of the study indicated that Carazo' s citizens desire increased formal and non-formal educator training and increased availability of resources that focus on the most critical environmental problems of Carazo (deforestation, solid waste management, water contamination, and the lack of environmental sensitivity, as indicated by participants in this study). The subsequent recommendations based on these findings center around three basic needs: the need to build on the department's existing environmental education strengths and programs; the need for more effective networking and sharing of environmental education information and resources within the department; and the need to empower Carazo' s citizens to be leaders in local environmental education efforts