Schools to the Sea - Buccaneer Diving - 5 Star PADI IDC Centre, Kenya, Zanzibar


East Africa's Multi-Award Winning Dive Centre

About Us

Where to stay

	Eco Projects
	Schools to the Sea

Our love of the Indian Ocean around which we grew up makes as very keen on it's preservation, and this means that Buccaneer Diving has been involved in many environmental projects.

Kenya +254 (0)728 999225

Zanzibar +254 (0)728 630369

info@buccaneerdiving.com

Buccaneer Diving Day Classes

Schools to the Sea

Young people and the wonders of the marine environment

'Schools to the Sea' is an education project that will enable young people to experience the wonders of the marine environment for the first time in their lives.

Thousands of young people in the low-income Kongowea area of Mombasa live within a few kilometres of the Indian Ocean yet have rarely visited it and have little awareness of the wonders it contains.

At the same time important stakeholders- hotels, diving schools, educational charities and environmental organisations are realising that good environmental management requires the co-operation and active involvement of all members of the community.

The project will raise awareness and develop understanding through a series of coral reef visits, snorkeling trips, mangrove expeditions and beach clean-ups. 'Schools to the Sea' will work with children from some of the poorest communities in Kenya.

The provision of free primary education in Kenya has enabled more children to attend school than ever before. At the same time it is also placing significant pressure on existing educational resources.

Government Primary Schools now have class sizes of between 100 and 130 students. A number of community schools which were set up before the introduction of free education play a very important role in provide cheap education in an over stretched system. Both of these types of schools lack teaching and learning resources and access to educational outings.

This project will provide first time experiences for so many of the teachers and the young people involved.

'Schools to the Sea' is a 5-year education project that will enable 1300 young people to experience the wonders of the marine environment for the first time in their lives with the aim to raise awareness of the marine environment among young people from poorer communities in Mombasa.

Objective 1
Access to the marine environment

To run a programme of events to give local young people access to the marine environment: These events will include snorkelling trips, mangrove tours and beach clean-ups. This will give students direct access to the marine environment and will act as a springboard for school based follow up activities.

Objective 2
Awareness of man's relationships with the marine ecosystem

To promote an awareness of man's complex relationships with the marine ecosystem: Many young people and their families rely on fishing and marine resources for their livelihoods. It is therefore essential to open an honest and democratic discussion about this question. If the sustainability of the marine environment is of utmost importance, this will only be achieved by including all communities.

Objective 3
Maximize the educational impact

To develop a wide range of supplementary and follow up educational activities and resources: To maximize the educational impact, students and teachers will take part in a series of supplementary activities. Teachers and volunteers will prepare the students in their classrooms in the week leading up to the event. On the day itself, art activities and games will enable students to investigate the environment in many different ways. Then after the event teachers will be given lesson plans and resources to further enhance the experience through creative writing and homework.

Schools to the Sea Partners

Schools to the Sea is a project that has three main collaborating partners who all support the project and make it possible.

CORDIO East Africa supplies an Education Officer who coordinates the logistics and prepares the schools and students for the upcoming trips.

Assist a Child to School (ACTS) coordinates the schools and aids in the general logistics leading up to the trip.

Buccaneer Diving provides the glass bottom boat, pre-trip lecture and staffing for the day. They also host the beach clean-up following a trip. However, this project would not have been possible without the sponsorship of PADI Project AWARE.