New Zealand schools are to participate in an American initiative that enhances environmental awareness and scientific understanding.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard and American Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun today signed an arrangement at Hutt Intermediate School which will enable New Zealand schools to take part in the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Programme.

"This an enormously exciting programme that teaches children some important lessons across a range of curriculum subjects while helping to preserve the World's environment," Trevor Mallard said.

"Today, New Zealand has become the 87th country to join the GLOBE Programme. At Hutt Intermediate School, Ambassador Moseley Braun and I signed an arrangement on behalf of our countries.

"It will mean New Zealand school children will participate in gathering data for research from around their communities. That data will be reported via the World Wide Web and will contribute to scientific research to help the environment.

"The GLOBE programme provides extensive environmental education material which supplements existing curriculum material in areas like science, mathematics, geography, biology and environmental studies. GLOBE also complements the Government's Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) strategy as children use the web to enter their data.

"The New Zealand Government will contribute to professional development for one teacher at each GLOBE school in New Zealand. The Ministry of Education will develop a contract with an outside provider as part of the Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom (LEOTC) project to manage GLOBE. The GLOBE project should be up and running by mid-year and will cost the Government about $350,000 over the next three years.

"Internationally, more than 4000 schools take part in GLOBE. I am sure that New Zealand children will both contribute positively to the programme as well as benefit from the learning opportunities it offers," Trevor Mallard said,

ENDS

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