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Distance education,
environmental education
and sustainability
An overview of universities in
Commonwealth Asia

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia
21

Farrukh Tahir
Department of Basic Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Keywords Environment, Education, Sustainable development, Surveys

Abstract Commonwealth countries in Asia are a mixed group, small in number but varying in
size from Singapore to India. This paper starts by looking briefly at the current status of distance
education in universities in Commonwealth Asia and then presents an overview of the current
status and place of environmental education in a sample of higher-education institutions in some
Commonwealth countries. Finally, the paper describes a survey conducted in a number of highereducation institutions specialising in distance education in Commonwealth nations across Asia,
with subsequent considerations of trends seen in Pakistan.

Background
Asia contains the countries with the highest populations in the world, and, to
some extent, countries in the region share many common identical socio-economic
as well as environmental problems. Many cities in these countries are said to be
among the most polluted ones in the world (Hardoy et al., 1992). In the global
context it is becoming impossible to find a suitable compromise between the
prevalent pattern of population growth and the environmental situation
CONNECT (1992).
Owing to the nature of the information that the present study intends to
examine, i.e. distance teaching in Commonwealth Asia with emphasis on
higher education institutions (Table I), a survey was decided on as being the
best data acquisition technique to use within the range of techniques available
for research on environmental education involving different variables. It had

the advantage of reaching a reasonably large group of people, providing the
means for assessing a number of different characteristics and ensuring the
possibility of participation of socially, economically and geographically distant
groups of people (Moser and Kalton, 1992).
According to UNESCO (1986a, b) size, rate of growth, population and
mobility of the population are important components for educational policy in
the region. There are extreme differences both in economic performance and in
educational achievement amongst Asian countries (Filho, 1990). The demands
for higher education are growing, and cannot be met, even though higher
education receives a large share of education budgets.

International Journal of
Sustainability in Higher Education,
Vol. 2 No. 1, 2001, pp. 21-37.
# MCB University Press, 1467-6370

IJSHE
2,1

22

Table I.
The countries of
Commonwealth Asia
investigated

Moreover, inequalities of access according to socio-economic backgrounds,
age, sex or race are noticeable. One solution to this problem has been seen as
the provision of ``distance education'' (IEEP, 1987).
The development of distance education in Commonwealth Asia
In a modern society, distance education education programmes are no longer
looked upon as a vehicle for repairing some shortcomings of education
systems, but as a regular and necessary element of them ± and not only for
some particular and rather marginal target groups, but for quite central
functions within the education system, serving considerable parts of the adult
population (Sirajul Islam, 1986).
In this connection, the role of distance education can be as under:
.
``second chance'' up-grading: after leaving the educational system when
people want to think of up-grading their education in order to compete

for better jobs;
.
information and education campaigns for large audiences: with the help
of mass media such as television, to educate the adults on topics related
to the environment;
.
speedy and efficient training of key target groups: when curriculum
changes are introduced in the system, it may be necessary to offer
specific teacher training programmes to considerable numbers of
teachers in a very short time;
.
education for otherwise neglected target groups: for instance,
women's matric programme in AIOU. Under the assistance from the
Government of The Netherlands, the AIOU started Women's Matric
(Secondary Level Certificate) Education Project. Initially targeted to
some selected areas, it has become a regular programme being
offered by this University;
.
expanding the capacity for education in new areas: the regular formal
system is often late in recognising new educational needs and

expanding capacity to offer regular programmes. Distance education
institutions are much more flexible and are able to enrol large numbers
of students within a short time;
1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6.
7.
8.

Bangladesh
Brunei Darussalam
India
Malaysia
Maldives
Pakistan
Singapore
Sri Lanka

.

.

.

extending geographical access to education: it is the most obvious role
for distance education, not only to rural and urban areas but to people
living in sparsely populated areas;
the combination of education with work and family life: many adults
prefer to continue in work while they are studying. Here distance
education can provide a more flexible opportunity in time;
multiple competencies: it is as if competence in a second or third field
has to be added after the initial education for the first career. Distance
education adds flexibility to the education system and helps people to
meet new challenges in their personal careers.

With regard to the provision for environmental education in distance education
specifically, a number of trends/needs are worth mentioning. According to

Irvine (1994), up to that year, there were just nine different courses and one
complete programme on environmental education offered via distance
education in the Commonwealth. The International Centre for Distance
Learning's database, run by the Open University at Milton Keynes, UK also
revealed that there are only 12 institutions in the Commonwealth offering
environmental education courses by distance teaching, six of which are in
Australia, one each in Kenya, Fiji, the UK, Canada and two in South Africa.
These figures have changed a great deal since, because new courses are being
prepared and offered on a regular basis, showing that increasing numbers of
adults need some alternative methods of education.
Distance teaching as a vehicle for non-formal education is one means which
appears to provide an answer to such needs. The term ``distance teaching''
includes the use of newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, books, radio, television,
film and the postal services as sources of teaching. And this modality of
education has the benefit of reaching people who may otherwise not be able to
access information on the environment. Its uses range from primary through
tertiary education and in the different areas of non-formal education.
According to the research conducted by Padgham (1995) and Tahir (1996) on
Commonwealth Asia, there is a lack of integration of environmental education
into Open University courses and distance teaching programmes, as such

establishments are often in relatively early developmental stages within many
Commonwealth countries. The Commonwealth survey performed by another
researcher, Murphy (1994), also indicated the same.
In the past, some countries have developed correspondence or alternative
distance courses for adults. For example, the Korean Air Correspondence High
Schools (which started in 1974), enrol mostly young working adults. Thailand's
established radio-correspondence programme has students studying at
secondary level. Indonesia, with the PAMONG project, and the Philippines,
with IMPACT, have also used self-instruction materials for primary school
level as a way of extending access to education where too few teachers are
available. In Indonesia, PAMONG is established as an alternative to the formal
system. Indonesia has also used distance methods for teacher training, while in

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia
23

IJSHE
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24

Nepal, a training programme for teachers by radio is in operation. Thailand
and Indonesia make extensive use of media in their non-formal education.
In recent years, there have been dramatic developments in distance
education at university level (CERI, 1973). In the 1960s and early 1970s, a few
schemes started, mostly as extension or correspondence departments of
existing universities: these include a number of Indian universities and the
Universiti Sains Malaysia Off-Campus programme. In 1974, the Allama Iqbal
Open University, Pakistan (then the People's Open University) admitted its
first students. The Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) serves as a
strong vehicle for the promotion of distance education in the Asian region. The
picture today is as follows:
.
Burma: The Open University has been established.
.
China: Central Radio and Television University, restarted late 1970s.
.
India: Andhra Pradesh Open University established 1982. Indira Gandhi

National Open University, established 1985.
.
Indonesia: Universitas Terbuka, first enrolments in 1984.
.
Republic of Korea: Korean Air and Correspondence University;
established as Junior College 1972, full university since 1982.
.
Pakistan: Allama Iqbal Open University: first students admitted in 1974.
.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Open University, established as Sri Lanka Institute
of Distance Education in 1976.
.
Thailand: Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, first enrolments in
1980.
This remarkable growth has had two important results. First, it has led to a
stronger community of interest within Asia, towards creative, innovative
approaches to higher education at a distance. Second, it has led to an
overshadowing of distance education for other purposes. While some countries
have secondary-level distance education institutes, these seem to attract little
interest. Some of the Open Universities are concerned with teacher training.

But, on the whole, the glamour of the Open University idea has led to an underexploitation of distance education to meet the very substantial needs at
secondary level and for professional training. The potential of distance
education for non-formal education as a tool for rural development has been
largely neglected, with the result that the term distance education is, by many
in Asia, thought to apply only to open universities (Janet, 1988).
In each of the Asian Commonwealth countries, distance education focusing
on the environment and on sustainability is developing its own distinctive
pattern, as discussed briefly in the following case studies.
Case study 1 ± Bangladesh
Like many other developing countries, Bangladesh is also affected by the major
environmental problems of today. Of these concerns, population pressure is a

constant one in development planning, as it has increasingly been adding to the
magnitude of the problem, with limited resources to address it effectively. In recent
years, the migration of people from rural areas to urban areas has been on the
increase, creating immense pressure on land, housing, education, sanitation and
other social overheads. There has also been a reduction in forest cover, owing to
the substantial needs of millions of people. The country is extremely vulnerable to
natural disasters, causing heavy strain on the nation's delicate ecological balance.
The coverage of the environment in the higher education sector is rather
disjointed. At the degree stage, in all universities, ecology is a component covered
under Botany and Zoology. At the post-graduate level, there is a compulsory
paper on ecology in Botany. There are also courses on Environmental and
Resources Management in Geography. Environmental Engineering courses are
offered at both the graduate and postgraduate levels at the Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology. However, the following institutes/
departments offer environmental education programmes (Tahir, 1996):
(1) Bangladesh ± Islamic University, Department of Economics.
(2) Bangladesh ± Jahangirnagar University, Department of Environmental
Studies.
Case study 2 ± Malaysia
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is unique among the six Malaysian
universities, in that it is the only one authorised to deliver a Distance Education
(DE) programme to home-based adult students in the country. There are no
distance education programmes in the school sector in Malaysia, nor is there
any vocational or career-oriented distance education programme (Dhanarajan,
1986). The USM is also unique among the Distance Teaching Institutes (DTI) of
the ASEAN region, in that it is one of the very few conventional dual mode
universities having such a programme.
Its monopoly, in the Malaysian context, is essentially a result of a governmental
directive precluding the other five universities from operating similar programmes.
Such (monopolies) decisions are arrived at after considerable discussions
with the universities, in order to maximize the returns from the limited
financial, human and other infrastructure investments of a small country.
The programme was launched in 1971 on an experimental basis and it
continued to be so until 1982 when its status was changed from one of experiment
to that of a regular programme, thereby giving it the status of an established
faculty and permanence. In its 16 years of existence, the programme has changed
structurally and academically. Today it is poised to play an even greater role in
Malaysia's attempts to bring higher education to its diverse population.
The off-campus academic programme of Universiti Sains Malaysia
Unlike the other distance learning systems of Southeast Asia, USM's programme is
run by a conventional university and therefore, not surprisingly, it imposes all of the
academic entry qualifications such that universities impose on prospective students.

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia
25

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26

The courses
Like any other organization involved in distance education, the creative act of
teaching is divided among different persons. At USM, teaching is performed by:
.
A lecturer or team of lecturers from the Centre of Off-Campus Studies, or
from any of the other faculties of the University, who create the printed
material as well as conceptualize and sometimes produce other media
supplements. In these tasks the teacher can avail himself/herself of
instructional design and other (editorial) expertise located in the center.
Technical and design expertise is also available from the Centre for
Educational Technology of the University.
.
A lecturer or lecturers who manages the course when it is delivered to
the students. These individuals are responsible for preparing the
assignment, examination and conduct of the intensive course from yearto-year. Course managers need not be, though they often are, the same
individuals who create the courses in the first place.
.
The regional tutor who meets with the students, in the many study
centres, throughout the academic year.
All of these teachers are expected to work together with the knowledge that the
whole operation encompasses a single teaching act, even though their
individual efforts are separately created or performed. It is therefore essential
that a carefully devised plan be prepared for course development, with
complete awareness of the other person's responsibilities (Table II).
Support systems
In order to ameliorate as many of the disadvantages of self-learning as possible,
the excellent high school and teacher-training college systems spread throughout
Different modes

How each mode is used

1. Print

This is the principal teaching instrument. All of the knowledge for a
course is presented in an interactive text. Two styles are followed, often
mixing both. In one form, a comprehensive study guide is written around
a recognised textbook or book of readings. In the second form, especially
in the science and mathematics courses, comprehensive interactive texts
are created. These include all of the content a course needs.
Used weekly for counselling and general information purposes.
This medium is used for direct teaching, comprehension and review.
Dual mode institutions have a distinct advantage in the availability of
human academic talent. The annual residential school of three weeks
provides unlimited access for students to course writers, course
managers and other academics for consultation. During the rest of the
year, the university makes available for consultation regionally-based
part-time tutors, especially for science and mathematics courses. These
tutors are regularly trained for their jobs by the University.

2. Radio
3. Cassettes
4. Interpersonal

Table II.
The delivery system

Malaysia are used. These physical facilities were needed to provide space for
laboratory exercises, tutorial classes, library resources and examinations.
Case study 3 ± Sri Lanka
The Open University of Sri Lanka was established in 1978. The media of
instruction used are as follows:
.
Printed material. Course material is prepared by especially selected
course teams from both within and without, and every effort is made to
follow the principles of instructional technology for distance study in the
preparation of course material.
.
Audio and video tapes. Audio cassettes are used to some extent to
supplement printed material, and video very much less.
.
Computers.
.
Face-to-face teaching. This is done through workshops, seminars and
laboratory work, the scope and frequency of which are determined by
the particular character and needs of a programme of study.
.
Two-way communication. Assignments form an important element in
the teaching process. They are marked and returned to students with
comments. Assignments carry a component of marks in the final
examination grade.
.
Regional services. A system of regional centres and study centres helps
to service the students in distant areas. They serve both as resource
centres and as places where face-to-face instruction is provided.

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia
27

Environmental education for higher education in Sri Lanka
The Constitution of Sri Lanka imposes a duty on the citizens to ``protect nature
and conserve its riches''. Apart from the constitutional obligations, the ethical,
religious and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka predispposes its people to
appreciate and protect the natural environment.
The approach of environmental education at all levels is essentially
multidisciplinary.
A recent survey has revealed that no doubt the existing syllabuses include
environmental and, to a limited extent, some sustainability components, but the
teaching of the same has to be improved by training the teachers and providing
teaching aids. Table III shows the universities providing environmental
education via distance education in Sri Lanka.
Institution

Department

Sri Lanka
1. Eastern University of Sri Lanka
2. Open University of Sri Lanka

Zoology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Table III.
Universities providing
environmental
education via distance
education in Sri Lanka

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28

Case study 4 ± India
The roots of distance education in India are rather deep. The Open University
came into existence in 1982, but its work has been expanded considerably and
other universities are also active in this field (Table IV). The Constitution and
the national policies on environment, population and education provide certain
safeguards for environmental protection and the necessity of arresting the
rapidly growing population. This also calls for using the educational process as
an instrument for creating awareness and consciousness about the
environment and population among the youth through formal and non-formal
education and mass literacy campaigns.
The instructional materials developed in the form of syllabus, textbooks,
teacher's guide, evaluation items and supplementary reading materials include
environmental concepts and population aspects, keeping in view the age of the
children and teachers of particular school stages.
The teacher education programmes, both pre-service and in-service, generally
are based on the content given in the school curriculum and these are being
updated accordingly with the environmental and population dimensions. The
teacher training is being upgraded through a separate training programme on
environment and population and also integrating these areas into the existing
teacher training programmes. The other functionaries, such as educational
planners and administrators, are also being familiarised with environmental
education.
In the higher education sector various universities/research institutions
provide courses on environmental sciences, ecology, oceanography, wild life,
forestry, geography and economics which contain environment and population
components. Postgraduate and research level courses are offered in a number
of universities, as seen in Table V (Tahir, 1996).
Case study 5 ± Pakistan
In Pakistan, necessary steps have been taken to include the concepts of
environmental education in the primary, secondary and tertiary level. The
government has prepared textbooks for classes nine and ten, which included
environmental education as a course for their students. Departments of
environmental studies have been established in some of the universities. The
following institutions offer environmental training courses at university level:
.

Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.

.

Gomal University, Faculty of Agriculture, D.I. Khan.

.

Quaid-i-Azam University, Department of Biological Science, Islamabad.

.

.

University of Karachi, Institute of Environmental Studies and Water
Research Centre, Karachi.
Department of Educational Planning and Management, Allama Iqbal
Open University, Islamabad.

S. No

University

1.

University of Allahabad

2.
3.
4.

Andhra Pradesh OU
Andhra University
Annamalai University

5.

Bangalore University

6.

Bhopal University

7.
8.

University of Bombay
University of Calicut

9.

Central Institute of English
and Foreign Languages
Cochin University of Science
and Technology
University of Delhi
GB Pant University of
Agriculture and Technology
Gujarat Agricultural University
Himachal Pradesh University

10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

Indira Gandhi National
University
Jadavpur University

17.
18.

Jamia Milia Islamia
University of Jammu

19.

21.
22.
23.
24.

Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi
Vishwa-Vidyalaya
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological
University
Kakatiya University
University of Kashmir
University of Kerala
Kurukshetra University

25.
26.

University of Madras
Madurai Kamaraj University

27.

Meerut University

28.
29.
30.

Mohanlal Sukhadia University
University of Mysore
Osmania University

20.

Institute
Institute of Correspondence
Courses and Continuing Education
±
School of Correspondence Courses
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses and Continuing Education
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses
Institute of Correspondence
Courses
Directorate of Distance Education
Institute of Correspondence Courses
and Continuing Education
Department of Correspondence
Courses

Year of
establishment

1978
1982
1982

29

1972
1979
±
1975
1971
±

School of Continuing Education
School of Correspondence Courses

1973
1971

Directorate of Extension
Directorate of Extension Education
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses
±

1962
±

Adult, Continuing Education and
Extension Centre
Urdu Correspondence Course
Institute of Correspondence
Education

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia

±
±
1985
±
1970

Directorate of Extension

1976

Centre for Distance Education
Department of Education
Department of Distance Education
Institute of Correspondence Courses
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses
Institute of Correspondence Education
Institute of Correspondence Course
and Continuing Education
Institute of Correspondence Course and
Continuing Education
College of Correspondence Studies
Institute of Correspondence Course
Institute of Correspondence
Course

±
1984
±
±
1976
1976
1981
±
1969
1979
1970
(continued)

Table IV.
The present state of
distance education in
India

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S. No

University

31.

Punjab University

32.
33.
34.

Patna University
University of Poona
Punjab Agricultural University

35.

Punjabi University

36.
37.
38.
39.

University of Rajasthan
SNDT Women's University
Sri Venkateswara
Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University
Utkal University

40.
Table IV.

Table V.
A sample of
environment-oriented
courses offered at
Indian universities

Year of
establishment

Institute
Directorate of Correspondence
Course
Institute of Correspondence Course
Distance Education Centre
Department of Extension
Education
Directorate of Correspondence
Course
Institute of Correspondence Studies
Department of Correspondence Course
Institute of Correspondence Course
Directorate of Extension Education
Directorate of Correspondence
Courses

1977
1971
1974
1983
±
1968
1979
1972
1974
±

Institution

Department

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Zoology
Department of Physics
Environmental Sciences
Entomology
School of Energy Sciences
Centre for Environmental Technology
Science and Engineering
Centre of Environmental Mining
School of Environmental Science
Bio-sciences
Civil engineering
Botany
Biology
Environmental Science

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur
University of Mysore
Nagarjuna University
Punjab Agricultural University
Madurai-Kamaraj University
Indian Institute of Technology
Indian School of Mines
Jawaharlal Nehru Technology University
University of Jammu
Indian Institute of Technology
Indian Institute of Science
Gandhigram Rural Institute
Gauhati University
Goa University
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Distance Learning Programme Division
Bharathiar University
Chitrakut Gramodaya Vishwa-Vidyalaya
Madurai-Kamaraj University
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Dr Babasaheb R. Ambedkar Open University
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Distance Learning Programme Division

Microbiology
Department of Environmental Science
Environmental Science
School of Energy Sciences
Centre for Environment
Science and Engineering
Zoology

.

.

.

.

.

.

Department of Science Education, Institute of Education & Research,
University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590.
Department of Environmental Studies, PO Box 1439, University of
Peshawar, Peshawar.
Environmental Engineering Department in NED University of
Engineering and Technology, Karachi.
Environmental education as a course in the revised curriculum for MEd
programme offered throughout Pakistan.
Fatima Jinnah Women's University, Rawalpindi, Department of
Environmental Science.
National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Rawalpindi,
Environmental Engineering Programme (MSc).

One of the most comprehensive avenues of non-formal education at university
level in Pakistan is the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), which was
established in 1974 by an act of Parliament (Satyanarayana and Koul, 1990).
Among its original objectives was to serve Pakistan's rural masses by ``providing
facilities for their educational uplift across barriers of time, space, race and class''.
Administered through 35 regional offices, the AIOU now offers an entire ladder
of educational services. The ladder incorporates over 180 courses, beginning at the
pre-literacy level and extending through the MPhil and other postgraduate degree
programmes. In this university an entire faculty of mass education was established
in 1995, with the aim of providing functional and technical education at basic level
and fulfilling the university commitment that basic functional education courses
would constitute no less than 24 percent of all university offerings. The university
has now acquired the services of an independent television channel, the
Educational Channel (PTV-2). Mass media are also an effective and influential
means of conveying important messages. The university offers courses in a variety
of subjects at all levels of education using television, radio, extension teachers,
regional centres, and courses through mail. As population and health issues are the
entry points for organising and empowering people, education and communication
are the keys to bringing them further into the mainstream, especially contributing
towards the betterment of the environment.
The packages developed by the Open University, in areas such as
population, health, nutrition and women's and children's care have proved
to be successful. Most of the students following these courses have already
been working in certain fields in rural and urban areas, and desire to
improve their qualification and skills. The focus of these courses is relevant
to everyday life. Similarly, courses initiated for women by the Open
University are bearing fruits. Programmes on literacy and extension
programmes in the areas, of agriculture, poultry farming, livestock, etc.
have provided more insight into these areas in addition to their impact on
the environment. They have helped the people to realise and become
sensitive to the problems of the environment and the role which individuals

Universities in
Commonwealth
Asia
31

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Table VI.
Course/programme
offerings in AIOU

and society can play in the participation and decision making that affect our
environment (World Conservation Union/IUCN, 1995).
There has been a continuous increase in course offerings, with some
programmes being outlined in Table VI. The number of courses has increased
from six in 1975-1976 to nearly 3,000 in the year 2000. Some of the programmes,
i.e. 38, are listed in Table VI.
S No.

Programme(s)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.

Integrated Functional Literacy programme
Basic Functional Education Programme (BFEP)
Primary Education (abridged)
Matric (women)
Primary Teacher's Certificate (PTC)
Primary Teacher's Orientation Course (PTOC)
Certificate in Teaching (CT)
Daftri Urdu Certificate for Federal/Provincial Government Officers
Elementary Arabic
Arabic Teachers Training Course (ATTC)
Agricultural courses (functional non-credit)
Non-credit functional courses (industrial arts)
Intermediate
Bachelor
Bachelor in Mass Communication
Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Education (General)
Bachelor of Arabic
Master in Special Education
Master in Education, Planning and Management
Master in Teaching of English Language (TEFL)
Master in Business Administration
Master in Pakistan Studies
Master in Special Education
Certificate in Librarianship
Postgraduate Professional Certificate in Business Administration
Postgraduate Diploma in English Language Teaching (ELT)
Diploma in Teaching of English as an International Language
Diploma in Special Education
Diploma in TEFL
Diploma in EPM
Diploma in Computer Applications (DCA)
Diploma in Computer Maintenance (DCM)
MPhil (Iqbaliat)
MPhil (Islamiat)
MPhil (Urdu)
MPhil (Education)

The International Centre for Distance Learning (ICDL) recently recorded ten
courses covering the theme of environment and more than 100 courses covering
the theme of environmental education in all these programmes. Some of them are:
.
Geography of Pakistan.
.
Principles of Management.
.
General Science.
.
Home Management and Home Furnishing.
.
Teaching of Biology.
.
Introduction to Behavioural Sciences.
.
Pakistani Society and Culture.
.
Principles of Commercial and Development Banking.
.
Science and its Teaching.
.
Handicapped Persons in the Community.
.
Forestry Extension.
.
Livestock Management.
.
Environmental Design.
The problems faced
Population pressures, rising energy consumption, resource depletion, pollution,
ecosystem degradation and urban population explosions are some of the
environmental problems we are all facing (UNEP, 1985). Distance teaching is
also not without obvious disadvantages. The major disadvantages can be
impersonality, the high degree of self-discipline required, the complex
organisation necessary to maintain high standards in the preparation of
materials, the unsuitability of some home environments as regards studying
conditions and physical inability to study after a hard day's work (Rashid,
1982).
The establishment of study centres in a distance teaching system is
generally based on the following seven considerations, especially in developing
countries:
(1) None of the distance teaching students will normally have had any
experience in self-directed study.
(2) Many of them will be high-school leavers lacking the motivation of
further studying.
(3) Their geographical location is bound to create the problem of isolation.
(4) Individual access to television and even radio are not possible.
(5) The programmes of the Open University type in developing countries
like Pakistan require practical work experience and providing this
experience requires organisation, guidance and supervision.

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(6) The Open University approach aims to play a role in the development of
communities where centres are located.
(7) It is believed that much of the success of the Open University approach
depends on the extent to which three needs of the students are met.
These needs are:
.
to learn how to study effectively and efficiently on one's own;
.
for general advice, help and encouragement; and
.
for assistance to set up and to run self-help groups.
In the work performed as part of a doctoral research (Tahir, 1996), the provision
for the inclusion of environmental education using distance teaching
methodology has been analysed. The main problems identified were:
.
Environmental education has been considered to be a ``a good thing'' since
its inception in the early 1960s, but there has never been general
agreement on the best way to undertake it. This results, partly, from valid
differences of opinion between institutions/individuals involved but,
nonetheless, must also be an inevitable consequence of the vast amount of
subject material that could be included in an ``ideal'' course. It has been
seen that there is some provision/implementation of environmental
education in sampled countries. The departments and faculties of these
countries are predominantly from the Natural Sciences, Agriculture and
Engineering. There is still a need to incorporate environmental education
more fully into the Social Sciences, the Arts and the Humanities, among
others. In practice, any attempt to institute such an attempt is precluded
by limitations on course length, student aptitude and student interests
(e.g. the main motivating force of environmental education in the sampled
university (AIOU) is the perceived global environmental crisis and the
local environmental problems). These realities, which also apply to the
subject-matter of sustainability, determine that university courses in
environmental education (Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
and other kindred courses) must be based on a careful selection of the
subject and its material support.
.
The main problems that are common and related to the provision of
``environmental'' courses at the sampled universities are the
unavailability of teaching and learning materials, the lack of adequate
methodologies, the lack of funds and the pedagogical skills of the staff
and the diversity of the target groups and their needs.
.
Although the NCS (Pakistan) have made some provisions for the
inclusion of environmental education in the conservation process, some
aspects such as teacher training, legislation and policy have been
neglected until now.
.
The analysis of AIOU courses have suggested that some commendable
(though not sufficient) efforts have been made to introduce environmental

education into the universities' teaching. However, their major objectives
do not go beyond transmission of technical knowledge and enhancement
of students' awareness.
Recommendations for further action
Asian countries as a whole, and Pakistan in particular, are entering the twentyfirst century and this could be hastened by the adoption of more distance
education initiatives. The development of the country is an important goal, and
so is the environmental education which must be given to its citizens in order to
nurture the earth's resources (Filho and Hale, 1992). The concept of sustainable
development therefore also needs to be incorporated into the current
curriculum (IUCN (1980), IUCN/UNEP/WWF (1991)). It may be necessary to
challenge more traditional approaches of environmental use and develop new
ways of thinking and increased participation in the solving of environmental
problems.
As AIOU relies on a multimedia approach for educating people, even in the
most remote corners of the country, environmental education can be easily
delivered here through specifically targeted radio shows and extension
programmes, also relating to other sectors (e.g. literacy, forestry, agriculture,
health and family planning). Also, the new programmes/packages devised by
the AIOU can support and balance the deficiencies in the formal system to
further highlight the focus on sustainable development issues.
On the other hand, distance teaching institutions need contact and
collaboration with ``conventional'' institutions in developing environmental
education programmes. It is often wise to mix distance learning with elements
of direct tuition in seminars, particularly in programmes of long duration. It is
also a common experience that, when teachers get some experience from
distance education, they learn the importance of the careful planning of
teaching activities. This often proves beneficial to their regular students.
Distance education may therefore have positive effects on the quality of
teaching in conventional institutions as well.
A major challenge now is to develop a system that will facilitate the use of a
multidisciplinary approach to environment and sustainability issues. In such
cases, students are provided with knowledge on how particular disciplines can
help to solve environmental problems. These relate to the specialised
components of the main courses, to their applications, as well as the procedures
and practices involved in real situations. Courses may thus be highly specific in
their content and structure but at the same time be flexible to cater for
introducing environmental elements into different educational levels
(undergraduate, postgraduate).
Future plans need to be made to further develop environmental education at
tertiary and non-formal levels in Pakistan. These include:
.
The incorporation of environmental education and sustainability issues
into the curriculum at all levels and introduction of environmental
materials into all subjects.

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.

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.

At college and university levels, faculty members should be encouraged
(and assisted) to develop optional courses on environmental issues
showing the cross-disciplinary linkages.
Distance education for the environment be encouraged by institutions
such as Allama Iqbal Open University.
The new television channel (PTV-2) must provide opportunities for
environmental distance education programmes.

Conclusions
The Commonwealth countries in Asia can boast a few modest, reasonably
successful initiatives in distance education on the environment. But, overall,
there is still a great need for more work. There is also a need to create more
opportunities ± in particular with regard to the training of staff at higher
education institutions ± since this is an acute problem. The linkage between
environmental education and sustainability matters is particularly important
in the development of a broader sense of environmental awareness within the
region and as a model for educational expansion in Pakistan in particular.
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