The Role of the African Education Se'ctor in Promoting VEGANISM

 

The education sector is made up of all the elements; local, national & international institutions charged with the responsibility of providing any form of education to the public.

For example:

• Elementary schools or kindergartens


• Primary schools


• Online academies or schools


• Vocational centers i.e. where vocational or technical skills are taught


• Teacher training Institutions


• Ministries and departments of education


• Education Support services eg school counsellors, health services, lunches etc.


• International Education organizations which are out to promote effective education like: UNESCO, EDUCATION International etc.

STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE VEGANISM IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR.

 

Before I dive into listing the strategies first and most important is for the educators to inform the younger generation about the degrading nature of the planet and our health due to the animal industry and its products. These aspects are being taught in some schools but rarely linked to the animal industry.

However, what is most important is to show them that there is still hope; let them know that we can still save ourselves and the planet and so we have to prioritize health and the climate first before money.

Secondly, they should be reminded that veganism is not for the rich but for everyone because there is a misconception that veganism is for the rich.

 

STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE VEGANISM IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR.

 

1. Veganism should be instituted in school curriculums at all levels.

In Africa, most people see veganism as a foreign concept which should be practiced by the “white man” hence it sounds impossible for them to practice it. Whereas if children were taught the importance of veganism and how to live a vegan lifestyle, it wouldn’t be that scary to us. Besides, according to a research carried out by the American Psychological Association, it was concluded that it’s easier for a child to learn and change habits than for an adult. In this light, I think we have to lobby for the vegan concept to be instituted in school curriculums if we really want to bring this change.

For instance, I heard about veganism from my food and nutrition teacher when I was 4th year in college and she told us its widely practiced by the West so I didn’t see it possible at that time to be vegan until later when I learned about it from the Supreme Master Ching Hai organization and thn I also met a few vegans from my community. I decided to conduct a series of research on the concept then I realized it possible and so easy to be a vegan in Cameroon.

1. Vegan School meals should be introduced in schools.

In most African setups, we have day and boarding schools. We should endeavor to serve vegan meals to these students/pupils at least once a week. This is so that these children have a taste of the delicious vegan meals so that they see that it’s possible to be vegan in Africa.

 

This will cancel the misconception most people have about vegan food be expensive and tasteless.

1. VEGANISM should be taught in Teacher Training Institutions.

The teachers themselves need to be well informed of the concept so that they pass on accurate information to the younger generation.

 

For example, my food and nutrition was just ignorant and that was why she was passing on the information about veganism being practiced by the West.

1. Teachers should lead by example.

Children are generally loving at heart and belief so much in their teachers especially elementary and primary school children and so will easily listen and copy from them. It’s time for the teachers to awaken the compassionate nature in them by leading them to the right direction.

 

For instance, parents can testify the teacher’s words are ultimate to children

1. VEGANISM should be taught as a compulsory subject to environmental science, Health science and moral education students.

The animal industry is the prime cause of most of our health and environmental problems but it’s not emphasized to the experts of these disciplines. It’s time we highlight the importance to these students.

It’s no news that our health and environmental challenges like increasing levels of methane gas, rising temperatures, covid 19, cancers, obesity etc are closely linked to one solution which is VEGANISM.

 

For instance, I had a seminar earlier in 2021 on………….. the next seminar I am planning to hold is with environmental science students with topic: the negative effects of the animal industry to the environment and then to health science students with topic: the effects of the animal industry to human health

 

Secondly, we cannot be talking about morals while leaving out the injustice that is being perpetrated to animals by humans so I think veganism should be part of our moral education in Africa.

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1. School text books should carry the vegan concept and highlight the urgent need for transition to the noble lifestyle.

It could be a chapter, on the cover page etc

 

1. Banners and billboards in schools should carry the information about the vegan concept as well school notice boards and magazines so as to create awareness in the school environment.


2. VEGAN or Green Days should be instituted in schools.

Vegan days are days where the students wear customized vegan uniforms, share vegan information, serve vegan meals, etc. and any other activities to make these days colorful vegan days.

1. Vegan students in every discipline (health, food security, cookery, environment, religion, philosophy etc.) should choose research topics centered on the topic.

The essence of this is to educate the supervisors, course mates and research team since most of them in the African setting are uninformed about the concept.

For instance, I applied to be enrolled into a Master’s in Environmental Economics and Policies & I have already come up with a research topic “THE IMPACT OF THE PUBLIC CONTRACTS SECTOR IN REDUCING THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT”

This is because, I have worked with the public Contracts regulatory Agency and as a climate activist; I will comfortably conduct a research and bring out recommendations for policy makers.

I think vegan activist should follow suit by choosing research topics according to their individual disciplines centered on the vegan concept.

School authorities could as well encourage these students either morally or financially to do more vegan research. This will help students to be innovative and will increase the number of vegan products available in our society.

1. Vegan recipes should be compulsory to all cookery students.

This is to promote African vegan recipes and secondly reduce the problem of availability of African vegan food. There are some recipes online but few actually teach vegan recipes.

 

Africans have just too many fruits, vegetables, tubers like yams, plantains huckleberry, corn, groundnuts etc. We just need to be reminded on how to replace animal products to plant products.

1. Online schools should introduce free or affordable vegan courses.

The new study trend now is people offering short online courses because it’s convenient for everyone and secondly the Covid pandemic has taught people how to retreat back home and do self-study.

We need to flood the internet with short courses online to encourage people offer these courses, we make them free are very affordable because Africans find it somehow difficult to offer paid online courses.

For instance, myself (Proveg Africa Accelerator)

1. Education Support Services should push forward the vegan agenda.

School counsellors, health services and other recreational services should help students transition to the vegan lifestyle. They should be trained to highlight the importance of veganism to students.

 

These support staff should be able to help students transition to a vegan diet trough mentoring and counselling.

Finally,

1. International Education organizations should push the vegan agenda.

They could encourage students by funding or subsidizing school meals, research projects, scholarships to vegan students, stipends to teachers who teach vegan courses etc.

 

EG Vegetarian Resource Group promoting vegetarianism in school, the vegetarian charity helping vegetarians in need etc 

 

• The challenges which might be encountered while instituting veganism in the education sector and proposed solutions.

1. There will be stiff resistance from owners of the animal businesses like non-vegan restaurant owners, butchers, factory farm owners etc. The resistance is because they will be losing money so they will feel uncomfortable with the vegan message.

However, businessmen face a lot of challenges, exacerbated during COVID-19 times- at that! We understand the difficulties of structuring change, modifying their operations to answer the growing demand for plant-based foods. It can be done and successfully. There are Cases of ranchers turned farmers who can now turn back and confirm that such was a good move and astute business decision! “

• A former Canadian cattle rancher (Mike Lanigan) switched business and is now running a vegan animal sanctuary.


• Imagine switching a non veg restaurant to plant based close to a cancer unit….

There are just too many green businesses which they can switch to and be millionaires in less than no time.

b)    Climate Change is Causing Livestock Herders to Grow Crops Instead

Defenders of animal gifting programs, many of which encourage supporters to purchase cows and goats for hungry families in Africa, often point to traditions such as African pastoralism and nomadic herders’ longstanding reliance on livestock for sustenance. What they fail to note is that many pastoralists are shifting to growing drought tolerant crops and climate resilient, indigenous fruits and vegetables instead, in response to climate change but no option for animals.

 

 

Resistance from older students and teachers.

Veganism is a new subject matter and so older teachers have not been used to the concept and will find it difficult to accept it.

 

Youth groups can reflect and create initiatives for advocacy and awareness on campus, at home, in the community – these initiatives for veganism to be coupled with those for the environment (ex: green living, recycling, water conservation, etc.)

Follow other activist like maneka Ghandhi, Suprema master Ching Hai…

Join events like go Dharmic event “Ahimsa and the environment”

EDUCATION is the GATEWAY to the Mind of so many (young and old, students and teachers, the community at large. The students of today will be our leaders, decision-makers of tomorrow, let us invest fully in their wellbeing at all levels: in morality (teaching them empathy, emphasizing virtues for a moral society and a strong country, etc.), physically (whole foods go farther than meant-based ones to ensure good health to be of sound reasoning), spiritually (avoid karmic hindrance caused by violence to sentient beings