Asia
In 2007 WSPA started working on the FCAW programme in Asia, initially focusing in Thailand. The programme has now also been extended to Vietnam and India. The focus on the FCAW aim of embedding animal welfare in the curriculum replaced WSPA's previous involvement in the region through the support of extra-curricula Kindness Clubs.
The work involves establishing partnerships with schools, teacher training establishments and other NGOs and securing the support and endorsement of education authorities and other relevant organisations. Use is also made of the media in order to raise the profile of animal welfare education in the selected countries.
So far achievements include the establishment of regular teacher training workshops in Thailand with the support of the local education authorities, production of resources in local languages plus those that combine learning English with animal welfare, endorsement from UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Unit and media events in both Thailand and Vietnam.
Into 2009 and beyond there are plans to extend work in all three countries; increasing the number of provinces covered and adding pre-service teachers' workshops to the training schedule. There are hopes to secure memorandums of understanding with Ministries of Education as a precursor to achieving curriculum integration in the future.
In 2008 we aim to:
- Initiate relationships and formalise an agreement with Ministries of Education of Thailand and Vietnam.
- Conduct an audit of the Thai and Vietnamese educational system.
- Initiate contact with a teacher training institute in Bangkok and Hanoi (Vietnam), and to implement a pilot teacher training scheme for 50 teachers from 20 schools in Bangkok.
- Adapt and translate existing animal welfare education resources.
- Establish contact with UNESCO in Bangkok.
