By: Rosie Ferawati (volunteer Bumi Panda) and Natalia Trita Agnika

On Tuesday (26/07), the Panda Mobile team as an environmental education tool owned by WWF-Indonesia not only provided environmental education to students, but also shared environmental education tips to teachers who are members of the SEAMEO Regional Center for Quality Improvement of Teachers and Education Personnel (QITEP).

Pratama Aditya, Coordinator of Panda Mobile gave a presentation on one of the endangered species in Southeast Asia, the tiger. The theme was chosen to commemorate Global Tiger Day. Many questions were asked by the teachers regarding the solutions suggested by WWF-Indonesia as well as what has been done to conserve Sumatran tigers. The teachers need information related to animal and environmental conservation activities that can then be shared with their students later when they return to their respective countries.

One teacher asked an interesting question. "How to educate children about the environment, especially when their parents are against it?" Pratama Aditya gave some tips that can be done, among which the first is to start educating the parents first. One way is to provide pictures or videos that are actual to the situation around them. Most urban communities will care more quickly if they see examples from the environment around them. If parents are already open-minded, children can be educated about the environment from simple things, for example related to saving paper, saving energy by using the charger, etc.

After the sharing session, the teachers had the opportunity to see the Panda Mobile truck that was providing environmental education to elementary school students who were invited to the Center for the Development and Empowerment of Science Educators (PPPPTK IPA) located at Jalan Dipenogoro No. 12 Bandung City. Panda Mobile activities carried out on that day were divided into three posts, namely watching environmental animation films, recycling activities by making hydroponic plants, and engklek game posts. In addition, the students also listened to storytelling presented very interestingly by Kak Ryan.

The SEAMEO QITEP teachers were happy to gain new insights about animals and the environment. "Thank you, this helps me because in my country similar things happen," said one teacher from Brunei Darussalam. They were also very enthusiastic to see the physical form of the Panda Mobile, which can be transformed into a stage, movie theater, and library. The teachers immortalized their experience of seeing the Panda Mobile and briefly observing the activities by taking a group photo.