Number: 2004-045-1-700
Title: Training of school children on pesticides and health
- "Toxicology in the classroom"
Task Group
Chairman: Wayne Temple
Members: Rahmat
Awang, Nida Besbelli,
John H Duffus, Birger
Heinzow, Irma Makalinao,
Maizurah Omah, Lutz
Rexilius, and Fritz
Schweinsberg
Objective:
Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to pesticides
and other toxic chemicals because their bodies are smaller and still
developing. Children also face greater exposures than adults due to
their hand-to-mouth behaviors. Children living in farming areas or
whose parents work in agriculture suffer greater pesticide exposure
than other children. The aim is to contribute to the enhancement of
chemistry education, and the public appreciation of chemistry by information
and appropriate handling based on informed risk assessment.
Despite some non-chemical methods of pest control there is at present
no alternative to chemical control. Pesticides are essential to farming
economies, especially in developing countries and economies in transition,
where adverse effects caused by weeds, diseases and pests are of greater
concern. However there is a need to optimise the beneficial use of
pesticides by minimising harm through better education about the risks
of toxic substances. The project will improve the image of chemistry
by associating IUPAC with educational material to reduce careless
use of pesticides. The material should also enhance or even help to
provide basic education in chemistry and basic toxicology in the classroom.
The material will be targeted to chemistry/science teachers in the
early years of secondary school. A main objective is to produce training
materials for school children aged 9-13 on pesticides to teach them
to understand the action of pesticides and the principles of safe
handling and to protect themselves and others from harmful effects
of pesticides.
Description:
The IPCS (International Programme on Chemical Safety of the World
Health Organization) has developed a multilevel course for training
in the sound management of pesticides for different group of people
handling pesticides. The course material is intended for trainers
and provides information on different levels from basic for people
handling pesticides in anyway to advanced for technical and medical
personnel. In developing world most people live in rural areas and
childrens' exposure to pesticides is unavoidable since farms are homes
as well as workplaces. The aim of the project will be: a) to educate
children on protecting themselves from the harmful effects of pesticides;
b) to give safety culture for future work that they potentially be
involved in use of pesticides.
The training material will include general facts about chemistry,
risk assessment, pesticides, safe handling, preventing contamination,
protecting themselves and others from harmful effects, how pesticides
could effect human health and the environment. The training materials
would be prepared as CD-ROM, booklets and flip charts for use in countries
with different level of development.
Progress:
update Jan 2008 - Several meetings have been made in conjunction
with this project (Berlin 2005, Prague 2006, Athens 2007). The distillation
of these meetings has resulted in a prototype computer animation package
developed at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (task group members Rahmat
Awang, Maizurah Omah have considerable IT experience including designing
programmes for educating school children on the risk of tobacco smoking
and recently developed the IPCS multilevel course aimed at training
in the sound management of pesticides). The animation is structured
like a house where the student can progress through several topics
(rooms) related to toxicology and pesticides. A second level (manual)
provides basic information, a glossary, links and teacher aids.
The age group of 9-13 years was targeted since it is in the transition
from guarded childhood to more independent youth and may be at higher
risk, because of independent activities. Also this age group might
be responsible to look after younger siblings and influence their
behaviour.
Task group members (Birger Heinzow and John Duffus) also prepared
an experimental design for teaching the dose response principle in
the classroom. This experiment makes use of the suppression of seed
growth by coppersulfate. A test run was conducted in Malawi and came
up with several very valuable observations and recommendations to
review and refine the existing material. Experimental amendments were
made and the results will be used for the computer animation.
A compilation of existing material that might be of interest and
suitable for education in the context of pesticide toxicology, including
material from other organisations/initiatives, NGOs and the chemical
industry was undertaken and will be included in the manual of the
package.
Amendments to the prototype will include the addition of more short
animated stories. The material will also be evaluated in accordance
with the theory of learning. It is proposed to pilot this educational
material and seek critique, advice and comments from users (teachers
and students).
Finalisation, approval, and publication anticipated by the end of
2008.