Field trips to zoos are being used by schools to give children a better understanding of the role animals and plants play in the life of human beings. Schools in Ha Noi, HCM City and Dong Nai Province have found that the field trips make the children more curious and willing to learn biology as also increase their awareness of environmental protection, teachers and experts said at a recent seminar.
Luong Thanh Tam, vice principal of the Tan Son Nhat Primary School in HCM City’s Tan Binh District, told Viet Nam News that many parents have not had time to take their children to the zoo and found the trips highly beneficial.
Many pupils have only known animals through pictures in books. "Some kids have never seen a real chicken," she said.
Tam said she is planning to have the children attend the Sai Gon Zoo’s programme on environmental protection and wildlife conservation, and would discuss ways to do this with the parents.
Nguyen Tuyet Quynh Dao, a specialist at the zoo, said in previous years, most schools in HCM City and Ha Noi did not have sufficient pictures, specimens or as documents to teach several subjects including biology.
Thus, the zoos of the two cities first co-operated with school leaders to organise trips to the zoos to help teach these subjects in a more lively and interesting manner and to help children become closer to nature, she said.
They also used the trips to teach regulations, laws and international agreements to protect the environment as well as preserve flora and fauna that were in the danger of becoming extinct.
Dr Vo Dinh Son, also of the Sai Gon Zoo said the conservation education programme has been implemented since 2003 and has so far attracted 259 schools in the city and neighbouring provinces to participate.
He hoped that the programme will expand and receive due attention from leaders, organisations, individuals and the media to get more investment and strengthen propaganda.
Next year, the Sai Gon Zoo will buy some buses to help schools reduce transportation costs, increasing the number of pupils visiting the zoo, Son added.
Besides the zoos, the Cuc Phuong National Park in northern Viet Nam and Vinh Cuu Heritage and Nature Reserve Zone in Dong Nai have also held many activities including film shows and competitions on environmental and forest protection laws for students and residents near the parks.
Huynh Cong Minh, head of HCM City’s Department of Education and Training, said zoos are the most suitable places to teach pupils about the world of plants and animals and improve awareness of environmental and natural protection.
"Not improving pupils’ awareness on environmental protection is a great shortcoming," he said.
Tran Ngoc Danh of Le Hong Phong Gifted High School said that it was very necessary to teach conversation to pupils because they will then contribute to environmental protection in the future
Luong Thien Tam, a postgraduate in environmental studies at the HCM City University of Natural Sciences, said that when people have the chance to get closer to nature, they will try better to protect and preserve it for future generations.