Staying indoors and reading textbooks isn't the only way for children to learn as a program designed by a conservation organisation believes the environment is also a big classroom.

The Guardians program, which is designed by the Conservation International office in Samoa and various other partners, provides students with the outdoor experience and uses the environment as one big classroom and textbook.

Leausalilo Leilani Duffy-Iosefa, who is the Director of Conservation International's Guardians Program, said that the program is an educational resource that would help teach environmental subjects at the secondary school level in Samoa.

She said the program will have a particular focus on marine and ocean resources due to its significance to the Pacific Island nations and their people's livelihoods. 

“This is all about raising awareness and we target that age group when you instil in young kids the reasons behind the importance of conservation work and they will grow up to be more conscious and aware of what their actions would do to the environment,” said Leausalilo. “Our target is on marine and ocean resources mainly because it is the key resource for the Pacific Islands as such is important to sustain marine resources.

“If we do not act now, it will be too late and acting starts with our young children. I do hope that the resources disseminated to the schools in Samoa will be useful for the teachers as an experiential education using our own surroundings and environment as examples.” 

The modules include the Trash Star which looks at waste management, Tree Guardian which looks at tree planting and restoration programs, the Wise Fisher is for conservation and educating students on preserving marine life, and Coral Champion which teaches the importance of the coral reef ecosystem, and the voyaging module that teaches young children the art of voyaging. The voyaging component looks at how Samoans came to the Pacific, the kind of canoes that were used, and how other Pacific islanders got around the Pacific region.

The Guardian program is a partnership program with Conservation International as well as the Ministry of Education and Culture (MESC), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and the Fisheries Division within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. They also acknowledged their partnerships with non-government organisations, such as the Samoa Conservational Society and international partners which include UNESCO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). 

“All these people came together to help develop these educational resources which target year seven students," added Leausalilo.

The Gaualofa Vaka goes around to the district schools and spends a week there teaching and raising awareness. The program will start at Mulinuu on Tuesday where groups of students from private and church schools will be a part of the first program.