Climate change to be introduced to O/L curriculum

Wasantha Ramanayake

Climate Change will be introduced into the Ordinary Level curriculum. Certain parts of it have already been included in environment and science subjects, Climate Change Secretariat Director Dr. W.L. Sumathipala told the Daily News.

Climate change would be introduced to every level up to the Ordinary Level to educate schoolchildren as a part of the adaptation method the Education Ministry and National Institute of Education are involved in the process, Dr. Sumathipala said. Dr. Sumathipala is one of the members of the Sri Lankan delegation who took part in negotiations in the UNFCCC climate change talks.

He added that this would be extended upto Advanced Level subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology.

He said Sri Lanka is focusing on various means of adaptation to various effects of the climate change due to global warming such as floods and droughts.

Dr. Sumathipala believed that people should be educated on climate change.

He said 15 to 20 percent of this year's paddy harvest was wasted due to the drought and around 20 percent due to heavy rains last year.

He pointed out that the Climate Change Secretariat was working closely with around 20 government institutions engaged in areas directly affected by climate change such as health, water, agriculture and meteorology.

As an adaptation method the Agricultural Department is carrying out extensive research on breeding paddy varieties that resist the drought, wet conditions and salinity.

He warned that rising sea level would have drastic effects on people and economy. He said sea water intrusion would be one of the problems affecting the people.