- Seized this summer by the Minister of National Education to reflect on the strengthening of lessons relating to climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development, from CP to 3rd, the Higher Program Council (CSP) made its copy on 4 December.
- Not only does he recommend more precise and more comprehensive teaching on these subjects in the subjects in which they were previously addressed (SVT especially), but he also proposes to involve all disciplines, from EPS to French. And from CP.
- These are only recommendations, far from being effective in school textbooks. The catch? The programs are already very busy, we remind Snes-FSU.
"At the end of compulsory schooling, a pupil must have the knowledge essential to understand global warming, the accelerated destruction of natural ecosystems, and to take the measure of the risks which ensue for human societies". The recommendation is that of the Higher Program Council (CSP).
On June 20, Jean-Michel Blanquer, Minister of National Education, instructed the CSP to clean up the teaching of climate, biodiversity and sustainable development, from small classes to college, justifying this referral by the interest growing up of youth on these subjects.
No ambiguity in the note
The CSP returned its copy on December 4. It went relatively unnoticed. "The next day began the strike movement on pension reform," said Souâd Ayada, president of the CSP. Nevertheless, the file is sensitive and this better consideration of climate and biodiversity issues in school programs has been requested for a long time by many scientists in France. Starting with the paleoclimatologist and president of the IPCC, Valérie Masson-Delmotte, co-signatory of a call to that effect, on December 15, 2018 on Médiapart .
This note already sweeps away all ambiguity, by specifying that “climate change is a scientifically established fact and it today takes the form of accelerated global warming” or that “biodiversity […] is decreasing, in particular due to the 'artificialisation of natural and agricultural areas'. Should we doubt it? For this work, the CSP interviewed 23 personalities (scientists, professors, education inspector), including the physicist François Gervais and the geophysicist Vincent Courtillot, climatosceptics. To the controversy, the CSP had responded by highlighting its desire to listen to a plurality of opinions. "There is, in the end, no notion of skepticism in this note", welcomes Mathilde Tricoire, educational manager at the Office for climate education (OCE), a foundation that promotes climate change education.
"Already better in high school, still too limited from CP to 3rd"
Mathilde Tricoire even describes this note as "very interesting" on many points. The CSP did not start from scratch. "Educating students about the environment is an old concern that dates back to 1977," insists Souâd Ayada. It distinguishes two approaches in the way it is implemented. "The first includes all the projects implemented in the establishments, which are not directly integrated into the subjects, but participate in raising awareness of sustainable development," she begins. These are sorting incentives, nature outings, vegetable gardens, eco-delegate elections since the start of the 2019 school year. ”
The second approach concerns the elements of knowledge in the teachings. We then come to the actual school program. "The recent overhaul of the high school programs [in force since September for the 2nd and the 1st, and from the next school year for the final] incorporates more scientific notions around the climate and at a rather advanced level, begins Mathilde Tricoire. On the other hand, these notions are still very limited from CP to 3rd. Some points are covered in cycle 4, that is to say from 5th to 3rd. Especially in SVT, a little bit in geography and physics-chemistry. "
"No longer just make it a science business"
The CSP recommends more explicit, more precise and more complete lessons on these subjects. "In physics and chemistry, in college, students would study, for example, the acidification of the oceans and tackle the concept of greenhouse gases, or even renewable energies, which is very little the case today", illustrates Mathilde Tricoire.
Above all, the CSP proposes to decompartmentalize the lessons relating to climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development. "Do not make it, just a science, summarizes Souâd Ayada. From first grade to third grade, all subjects must have their part to play in raising students' awareness, from EPS to French, including math or the arts. "
"In EPS, for example, it would be a question of valuing physical activities in nature," illustrates Mathilde Tricoire. In French, we can also imagine having students work on writings that will enhance the observation of the environment. Or, why not, try your hand at science fiction stories about the future. "
Encourage and help teachers to understand these themes
This is what many establishments are already doing and promoting, specifies Fabrice Rabat, SVT professor in Morbihan and member of the SVT group of the Snes-FSU union. What Souâd Ayada does not deny. "But the idea of this note is to encourage teachers more strongly to take up these themes and help them to do so," she said.
This is the purpose of the five green threads - air, water, fire, earth and life - that the CSP proposes in its note, as "narratives likely to become common to teachers of all subjects dispensed at school and college ”. For each of these children, the CSP details possible integration tracks in the programs, adapted to different ages.
"Already very busy programs"
Fabrice Rabat is not against strengthening lessons. "But the question is how to make more room for them when the programs are already very busy," he says. In SVT, for example, it will then probably be necessary to reduce the part on reproduction or vaccination. These subjects are also important. "
Souâd Ayada recognizes that the equation is complex, but that should not justify inertia. "We will have to find this balance which will allow the necessary reinforcement of the teaching of climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development in the programs without neglecting the other lessons", she specifies. This is what remains to be done. The CSP has so far only submitted a draft program. It must also be submitted to the opinion of the Higher Council for Education (CSE), then have it definitively adopted by the Minister, before publication in the Official Journal and its implementation in establishments.
Not until September 2021?
No date has yet been announced for the rest of the process. "It should not be right away, as the news is busy at the moment for the Ministry of National Education," predicts Fabrice Rabat, who refers to the pension reform. "It is very unlikely that these reinforcements will come into effect before the start of the 2021 academic year," says Mathilde Tricoire.
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