Problem overview:

     Awareness and visions: Protection of the environment is a long term effort that requires the commitment of all living beings. The importance of targeting the younger generation in this regard has been highlighted, as they would be in a position to turn the trends in the area of environmental management.

     Training and educational initiatives: School children are identified as the best target group to impart the knowledge and education on environment. Hence, the government of Sri Lanka has initiated the following programmes;

Background in summary:

1. Environmental Pioneer Programme: The first Environmental Pioneer Brigade was established in 1986 at Maligawatte New town under the direct supervision of the CEA. The major objective of this programme is to produce environmentally concerned citizens with love and affection for once own lands, its people and its environment.
   
   
2. School Society Programme: School Environment Society Peogramme is being conducted in schools under the School environment programmes, where more school children can participate to take the environment message to the community. There are over 2000 school Environmental Societies at present. They undertake environmentally friendly activities within their school environment or within the community.
   
   
3. Parisara Surakshana Balakaya (environmental protection brigades): With objective of empowering school children for wide range of environmental activities, the programme has enabled school children to work with Community Based Organizations, Non Governmental Organizations, Government Institutions etc, at pradeshiya, district, provincial and national level.

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
3	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	2	Cost efficient.
2	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		1	Participation of the community
2	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	2	Participation of resource owners/users
2	Socio-cultural adaptability.	2	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
2	Level of development adaptability.	-	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
2	Style of government adaptability.	-	Ability to attract political interest/support
2	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	-	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example:      These are very important programmes as they involve the younger generation, who will be adults of tomorrow. The programmes have to be gradually passed over to the department of education, who are in charge of the schools and inter-woven into the education system, if this is to be sustainable. Sustainability of the project:      Awareness and visions: Awareness is the key towards sustainability. The more people are aware of what is going on around them, the quicker and easier the problem can be managed. These children, once acknowledged from the programmes, they will act as educationist or message carriers to people around them, and hopefully the message on sustainability will be extensively spread out. Adaptability of the project to other situations:   Process of decision making and implementation:      Training and educational initiatives: The activities chosen for the 3 programmes should always be kept exciting and initiative. While being educational and informative, the programmes should not make children feel as if they are being taught in class at school because they will eventually lose interest and stop paying attention. Cost efficiency: