Nassau, Bahamas – February 27th, 2024

Partnering with the Ministry of Education’s Primary Science Unit, The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) engaged 540 teachers in a hybrid Professional Development Workshop.

During the two-day seminar, the BNT introduced the educators to national parks as outdoor classrooms – accessible spaces that inspire learning and creativity while connecting people with nature. The participants explored two New Providence national parks, encountering a resident Bahamian Boa at The Retreat Garden and discovering sinkholes at Primeval Forest.

BNT Director of Education Portia Sweeting said, “Our primary goal with this workshop was to encourage teachers to engage their students in these outdoor classrooms. There are many benefits to being in nature and wielding it as a tool for learning. It promotes mental well-being, creativity and imagination, cognitive development, and emotional development.

“It’s critical to engage youth in national parks not only to help with their overall learning, but to spark a connection between them and these natural spaces that belong to them, and that they will be future stewards of.”

Through the hybrid workshop, teachers who could not attend in-person were able to experience the uniqueness and value of these incredible spaces virtually. The BNT and Ministry of Education engaged teachers across multiple islands, including: Abaco, Acklins, Andros, Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Inagua, Long Island, New Providence, and San Salvador.

With funding from long-standing partner the Sandals Foundation, the BNT has created more than 150 resources housed on its website to support the teaching of the environmental strand of the National Primary School Science Curriculum. Through initiatives like this latest workshop, they continue to help facilitate the development and implementation of this innovative and increasingly pertinent strand of the curriculum.

“As we deal with a world that faces increasing challenges in regards to climate change, and grapple with the reality of its effects on a small country such as ours, it’s more important than ever to incorporate environmental education into our national curriculum,” said Sweeting. “We must foster a relationship between our youth and their environment; we must inspire and equip them to care for their surroundings and create change in the world around them.”

To book a BNT National Park Experience, teachers can visit bnt.bs/npe and fill out an online request form.