（20 August 2007, Hong Kong）NWSH Green Kindergarten Network, established by NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings” or the “Group”, HK stock code: 0659) and Green Power just announced a study on the knowledge and experience with nature of young children. The result showed that today’s children lack awareness on nature, hindering future environmental protection and ecological conservation effort.
The survey, conducted in April 2007, with a focus on children’s countryside experience and knowledge on local animals, interviewed 104 pre-school children of three to five years old (see App. I and II for questionnaire and results). The survey showed that most children had yet to learn to explore and search for interesting matters from nature. Some of them even disliked the countryside. Young children should have the most inquisitive mind as nature is an ideal environment for inspiring thought and providing first-hand experiences for them. However, the survey revealed that many children might have missed the chance to explore and learn from nature. Indeed, without real contact and experience of nature, it is hard for children to cultivate a passion for it, least for environmental education to be carried out.
Ms Maria Cheung, Senior Manager - Corporate Communication of NWS Holdings, suggested that in teaching about the plants and animals, teachers and parents can also point out their habitats so that children would gain a basic idea of their distribution in Hong Kong. NWSH Green Kindergarten Network has published “Hong Kong Biodiversity Map” in July 2007 which introduces the distribution of local plants and animals. The programme also organizes field trips for teachers and students from kindergartens and child centers in Hong Kong, enabling young children to appreciate nature.
Dr Cheng Luk Ki, Division Head of Scientific Research & Conservation Department of Green Power, remarked that although parents may take their children to the countryside, many simply view the countryside as a playground for barbeque or playing and keep in their hands video games and toys, which made children lose the curiosity on nature easily. He suggested parents and school teachers to encourage children to observe nature and sense nature with their sight, hearing, smelling and touch, under safe conditions. This would be a precious experience for young children.
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This press release is also available on the Group’s website ( www.nws.com.hk) and the official website of NWSH Green Kindergarten Network (www.greenkindergarten.net).
NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings”, Hong Kong stock code: 0659), the infrastructure and service flagship of New World Development Company Limited (Hong Kong stock code: 0017), embraces a diversified range of businesses in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau. Its Infrastructure portfolio includes Roads, Energy, Water and Ports projects. Its Service & Rental division comprises Facilities Rental (the management of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and ATL Logistics Centre), Contracting (Hip Hing Construction Group and NWS Engineering Group), Transport (New World First Bus, Citybus and New World First Ferry), etc.
Green Power was founded in 1988 by a group of dedicated volunteers concerned about local environmental affairs and problems. We have always put environmental education as our first and foremost priority because we believe that education is the ultimate way of transforming our thinking and behavirou
NWSH Green Kindergarten Network was set up in April 2005. It is the first environmental education programme designed for pre-school educators in Hong Kong, and up till now, over 50% of kindergartens and child care centres have already registered as members. The programme provides a resource platform of environmental education for kindergartens and child care centres in Hong Kong. By providing free teaching materials, training workshops and field trips, NWSH Green Kindergarten Network aims at nurturing environmental awareness among the young generation. All kindergartens and child care centres in Hong Kong can join the programme without charge. To promote environmental education, numbers of activities were held. For instance, Break Guinness World Record with Little Palms. 3,100 pupils and teachers from 65 member kindergartens of NWSH Green Kindergarten Network participated in the event. They together produced the world largest palm paint, which broke the Guinness World Record then. In 2006, we have conducted an survey on kindergarten students’ cognition on environmental issues. Results revealed that most of the school children lack concepts concerning origins of natural resources. 60% of them have never sat in a lawn, reflecting that school children focus too much on acquiring knowledge and ignore the importance of environmental awareness. The survey also suggested that 80% of pre-school educators thought that the market was in lack of teaching materials regarding environmental education while about 50% of them expressed that they did not have adequate training in the corresponding area.
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