This is a joint project between the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, the Ministry of Education, the Environment Unit and UNESCO/LINKS entitled "Strengthening indigenous knowledge and traditional resource management through schools: A pilot partnership involving local communities, teachers, resource managers and culture specialists".
It is a project-awaiting-funding which aims to implement the incorporation of traditional resource management knowledge into the formal school curriculum. The long-term aim is to move towards a balance between the teaching of local knowledge and outside knowledge in the classroom, by developing mechanisms for the inclusion of traditional knowledge within the schooling process. This may involve the development of modules and other innovative pedagogical materials based upon traditional knowledge, as well as the utilization of traditional pedagogical tools and processes inside or outside the classroom. This initiative would provide the perfect subject matter to use in vernacular literacy programs at early primary level, but also a highly appropriate science or general knowledge subject at all levels. Work to collect and collate information on traditional resource management knowledge and practice being carried out by the Cultural Centre is already well advanced, and a database of all this information is currently being completed (see a summary of the TRM database project).
A workshop run in December 2003 established the parameters of the project, including an action plan and budget. Funding was sought from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), but this has failed to eventuate.
See the Action Plan
See the Participants and Agenda of the December 2003 meeting
See the proceedings of the December 2003 meeting
What is the UNESCO/LINKS program?
