The Sunday News
Joel Tsvakwi, Sunday Life Reporter
THE Natural History Museum in Bulawayo has intensified efforts to raise awareness aimed at making the locals appreciate the cultural and natural history heritage.
Through its heritage education department, the country’s premier cultural and natural history institution has come up with a conservation club.
The club, known as the Museum Conservation Club is designed with the catch them young approach as it targets schoolchildren from Grade Four to Seven.
In an interview with Sunday Life, Heritage education officer Mgcini Dube said the club’s main purpose is to conscientise all primary schoolchildren regardless of social standing to develop an appreciation of the country’s rich diversity in cultural and natural history heritage.
“Museum Conservation Club is scheduled for every Friday during school going terms, pupils are exposed to a lot of cultural and heritage phenomena so that they can learn to appreciate their existence and subsequently the importance of conservation.
“Membership is open for every pupil between the ages of six to 12, our sessions start from 2pm to 3pm and each member pays $2,50 per session and kids are exposed to unique learning experiences on tangible objects at the museum’s learning centre,” he said.
Dube further said there were a lot of practical things which club members learn outside the traditional school environment.
“They learn a lot of things like understanding snakes, fascinating aspects of crocodiles, our world class cultural heritage sites dotted around the region and the country and explore on small things like the awesome bugs and other animal species. The idea is to make them be able to conserve heritage and many more animal species, Some students have even gone as far as creating their own fish ponds at homes and by so doing they are studying all the fascinating aspects of these species in a conservative way,” Dube.
He also noted that the idea is not segregatory along one’s upbringing and pupils’ backgrounds as perceived. He said there was a tendency of seeing some species as food yet these species might need human protection to create a balance in the ecosystem.
“It is these bad practices and perceptions from some of our members of society, which some pupils had been exposed to. They see some animals as food and the only thing is to kill, we are trying to clear this by imparting relevant knowledge that we as people have got a central role in protecting nature and our heritage in a sustainable way,” he said.
Dube also refuted claims that the conservation club targets pupils from elite schools and suburbs.
“The club is meant for every pupil in and around the country. The fact that those whose schools are in the proximity of this institution come here often does not mean we have a narrowed audience. Other schools from high density suburbs and beyond are welcome. Parents and headmasters must ensure that they facilitate their pupils to participate on this noble education experience,” said Dube.
He also said that the heritage education department, through the museum’s curators as resource personnel was aimed at providing a practical learning environment.
“Young people are taught about real life aspects of conservation, taking care of the natural heritage like trees, water, animals and their behaviour in their habitats. Over and above this it gives them confidence and the lessons dovetails into whatever they learn at school, “he said.
Dube said funds permitting, they were eager to reach out to more students and take the museum learning centre to remote schools targeting pupils who cannot access the institution due to other logistical problems.
@joeltsvakwi
