Climate & sustainability to be in curriculum, environmental education critical for youth : ICSE

It has been said by Joseph Emmanuel, chief executive and secretary of CISCE: the council aims to build early awareness among children about the urgency of preserving nature and developing environment-friendly habits as a part of everyday life.

Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations will introduce a 15-hour module on “climate change and sustainability” for students of Classes VI to VIII.

The council also intends to create early awareness among children of the need to safeguard nature and to develop environment-friendly habits as part of daily life, said Joseph Emmanuel, chief executive and secretary at CISCE.

The CISCE has now introduced environmental science and environmental applications at ICSE and ISC levels respectively.

The council added that the growing urgency of the climate crisis requires a much stronger and more integrated approach.

In a circular sent to schools last week, it wrote: ".Environmental education has become increasingly critical in the face of the escalating environmental crises, and there is a need to build awareness towards sustainable and environment-friendly lifestyles among young Indians."

Unlike a standalone subject, the new climate module will be woven through existing lessons across the middle school curriculum as a "knowledge and skills module." This structure is meant to keep the learning less "content-heavy" and more practical.

The council said that environmental concepts would be integrated into subject-specific themes. For example, the number of endangered species could be linked to maths.

Emmanuel said environmental education must help children understand their surroundings, relate to them, and adapt to the ever-changing environmental conditions.

"Children should know that they have to protect and preserve nature, and it has to be a practice. They have to develop the habit of living together with nature. With awareness, an educated and empowered youth will protect the environment," he told Metro.

A circular to the school heads said that the move was an initiative to create “sensitisation as well as a deep connect to the concern of environmental protection amongst young learners.”

Ahead of the roll-out, the CISCE held a webinar on Monday to orient principals and teachers on the scope, relevance and implementation methods of the module.

Educators embraced the initiative.

"If we orient and empower children now, it will prepare them to act responsibly in the future," said Mousumi Saha, principal of National English School.

Many schools already have "green policies" where children participate in recycling and conservation activities.

Some of them recycle plastic bottles in order to make vertical gardens; others turn old newspapers into packets and ban the use of plastic on campus. A few schools have installed solar lighting. “We have installed solar panels on our roof and it has helped to reduce the electricity bill to one-fourth of what it used to be,” Saha said.