Climate Readers for Samoa

In supporting the Australian Government's integration of climate and disaster resilience in its aid program; the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP) has developed the Pacific Climate Readers series for primary schools and handbooks (Living with Hazards and The Water for Life) for high school and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) students. 

Earlier this year, handbooks were handed over to Samoa’s National University (NUS) and Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) – Samoa.  The handbooks were well received and both institutes were appreciative of the great work done by APCP to develop such useful resources for Samoan and Pacific students.  In August, the Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, HE Emily Luck handed over Climate Readers and Handbooks to Samoa’s Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (MESC) that will empower primary and secondary students to better understand climate and disaster resilience.  Over the next few months, MESC will be distributing both the primary readers and handbooks to schools across Samoa. 

The Pacific Climate Readers series consists of five readers that use storytelling to explore a range of climate-related concepts including food and water security, health and hygiene, conservation, and community resilience.  The readers are designed to help educators, including parents, encourage children to relate to climate change and to talk to elders and local experts in the community.  The handbooks present essential disaster risk resilience concepts and water as the unifying factor.  Both books have been tailored for students in the Pacific and can be used to supplement climate and disaster, or water-focused curriculum, or be integrated into other subjects where disasters and water security are covered.