Operations of District and Provincial Environmental Committees. An E-Learning Course for the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in Kenya By Vicky Onderi

INTRODUCTION In efforts to attain sustainable development, Kenya has over the years formulated several policies and statutes relating to the conservation and management of the environment. These several legal instruments were uncoordinated and often conflicting so the government enacted the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA,1999) which establishes national environmental principles and provides guidance and coherence to good environmental management. Until late 1999, the environmental legislation had provisions contained in about 77 statutes.

INTRODUCTION The Act deals with issues that cut across all sectors such as: environmental policy, environmental planning, protection and conservation of the environment, environmental impact assessment, environmental audit and monitoring, environmental quality standards, environmental protection orders, environmental inspection, institutional coordination and conflict resolution.

INTRODUCTION EMCA provides an elaborate institutional framework with checks and balances. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is the principal agency of government in all matters of environmental management. To enhance proper environmental management at the district and provincial levels, EMCA under section 30 has established District Environment Committees (DECs) and the Provincial Environment Committees (PECs).

CONSTITUTION OF PECS AND DECS The District Environment Committees (DECS) and Provincial Environment Committees (PECS) have been constituted within the framework of The Environmental Management and Coordination Act EMCA, (1999). The DECS and PECS are the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) representatives on the ground to enhance proper environmental Management at the respective district and provincial levels in the country.

MANDATES OF PECS AND DECS The mandates of PECs and DECs are to:- Be responsible for the proper management of the environment within the Province or District in respect of which they are appointed. Perform such additional functions as are prescribed by this Act or as may from time to time, be assigned by the Minister by notice in the gazette.

TRAINING NEED FOR THE PECS AND DECS The PECs and DECs will need to be trained in order to make them effective in implementing their mandate. E-Learning is the avenue NEMA will use to train them. The course aims to facilitate: Development, review, evaluation and sharing of e- learning materials; ICT integration in teaching and learning; The mobilization of resources to ensure sustainability in the Environment sector; Local, regional and international collaboration in e- learning including the exchange of expertise and good practices.

COURSE DELIVERY Blended approach learning Face to Face (initially at every provincial headquarters) Using distance learning resources (online or interactive CDs) Course timing: 4 hours per week for a period of 8 weeks. Course evaluation: Learners will be required to access the NEMA website and undertake a test any time during a pre- determined 7-day window period. Course Certification: Certification will be based on the results of the test undertaken.

CHALLENGES Inadequate funds for consultative meetings on Content Development and Capacity Building; Inadequate infrastructure and connectivity (especially in the rural areas); Course implementation: - Lack of adequate capacity of course managers and technical personnel at NEMA. - Low levels of computer literacy of the PECs and DECs

PARTNERSHIPS United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Ministry of Environment and its departments, Kenya Computer for Schools Kenya e-Learning Centre (KeLC) Masuro Environmental Management Company

Screenshots of the course

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