The Impact of Technology on the Environment and How Environmental Technology Could Save

Our Planet
13.11.2019

This article takes a look at the paradoxical ideology that while the impact of technology on
the environment has been highly negative, the concept of environmental technology could
save our planet from the harm that has been done. This idea is supported by WWF 1, who have
stated that although technology is a solution enabler it is also part of the problem.
The term ‘technology’ refers to the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes
and the machinery and devices developed as a result. We are currently living in a period of
rapid change, where technological developments are revolutionising the way we live, at the
same time as leading us further into the depths of catastrophe in the form of climate change
and resource scarcity.
This article will begin by discussing the negative impact of technology on the environment due
to the causation of some of the world’s most severe environmental concerns, followed by the
potential that it has to save the planet from those same problems. Finally it will explore the
particular environmental technology of the gas sensor and discuss how it plays a part in the
mitigation of negative environmental consequences.
 

The Impact of Technology on the Environment

The industrial revolution has brought about new technologies with immense power. This was
the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the period
from about 1760 to 1840. This has been succeeded by continued industrialisation and further
technological advancements in developed countries around the world, and the impact of this
technology on the environment has included the misuse and damage of our natural earth.
These technologies have damaged our world in two main ways; pollution and the depletion of
natural resources.
1. Air and water pollution
Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive quantities of gases such as carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and methane are introduced into the earth’s
atmosphere. The main sources all relate to technologies which emerged following the industrial
revolution such as the burning of fossil fuels, factories, power stations, mass agriculture and
vehicles. The consequences of air pollution include negative health impacts for humans and
animals and global warming, whereby the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the air trap
thermal energy in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the global temperature to rise.

Water pollution on the other hand is the contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers,
oceans, and groundwater, usually due to human activities. Some of the most common water
pollutants are domestic waste, industrial effluents and insecticides and pesticides. A specific
example is the release of inadequately treated wastewater into natural water bodies, which can
lead to degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Other detrimental effects include diseases such as
typhoid and cholera, eutrophication and the destruction of ecosystems which negatively affects
the food chain.
 
2. Depletion of natural resources
Resource depletion is another negative impact of technology on the environment. It refers to
the consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished. Natural resources consist of
those that are in existence without humans having created them and they can be either
renewable or non-renewable. There are several types of resource depletion, with the most
severe being aquifer depletion, deforestation, mining for fossil fuels and minerals,
contamination of resources, soil erosion and overconsumption of resources. These mainly occur
as a result of agriculture, mining, water usage and consumption of fossil fuels, all of which have
been enabled by advancements in technology.
Due to the increasing global population, levels of natural resource degradation are also
increasing. This has resulted in the estimation of the world’s eco-footprint to be one and a half
times the ability of the earth to sustainably provide each individual with enough resources that
meet their consumption levels. Since the industrial revolution, large-scale mineral and oil
exploration has been increasing, causing more and more natural oil and mineral depletion.
Combined with advancements in technology, development and research, the exploitation of
minerals has become easier and humans are therefore digging deeper to access more which
has led to many resources entering into a production decline.
Moreover, the consequence of deforestation has never been more severe, with the World Bank
reporting that the net loss of global forest between 1990 and 2015 was 1.3 million km 2. This is
primarily for agricultural reasons but also logging for fuel and making space for residential
areas, encouraged by increasing population pressure. Not only does this result in a loss of trees
which are important as they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but thousands of
plants and animals lose their natural habitats and have become extinct.
 

Environmental Technology
Despite the negative impact of technology on environment, a recent rise in global concern for
climate change has led to the development of new environmental technology aiming to help
solve some of the biggest environmental concerns that we face as a society through a shift
towards a more sustainable, low-carbon economy. Environmental technology is also known as
‘green’ or ‘clean’ technology and refers to the development of new technologies which aim to
conserve, monitor or reduce the negative impact of technology on the environment and the
consumption of resources.
The Paris agreement, signed in 2016, has obliged almost every country in the world to
undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change by keeping the rise in the global average
temperature at less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
This section will focus on the positive impact of technology on the environment as a result of
the development of environmental technology such as renewable energy, ‘smart technology’,
electric vehicles and carbon dioxide removal.
 

 Renewable energy

Renewable energy, also known as ‘clean energy’, is energy that is collected from renewable
resources which are naturally replenished such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and
geothermal heat. Modern environmental technology has enabled us to capture this naturally
occurring energy and convert it into electricity or useful heat through devices such as solar
panels, wind and water turbines, which reflects a highly positive impact of technology on the
environment.
Having overtaken coal in 2015 to become our second largest generator of electricity, renewable
sources currently produce more than 20% of the UK’s electricity, and EU targets means that this
is likely to increase to 30% by 2020. While many renewable energy projects are large-scale,
renewable technologies are also suited to remote areas and developing countries, where
energy is often crucial in human development.
The cost of renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines are falling
and government investment is on the rise. This has contributed towards the amount of rooftop
solar installations in Australia growing from approximately 4,600 households to over 1.6 million
between 2007 and 2017.
 

 Smart technology

Smart home technology uses devices such as linking sensors and other appliances connected to
the Internet of Things (IoT) that can be remotely monitored and programmed in order to be as
energy efficient as possible and to respond to the needs of the users.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of internet-connected objects able to collect and
exchange data using embedded sensor technologies. This data allows devices in the network to
autonomously ‘make decisions’ based on real-time information. For example, intelligent lighting
systems only illuminate areas that require it and a smart thermostat keeps homes at certain
temperatures during certain times of day, therefore reducing wastage.
This environmental technology has been enabled by increased connectivity to the internet as a
result of the increase in availability of WiFi, Bluetooth and smart sensors in buildings and cities.
Experts are predicting that cities of the future will be places where every car, phone, air
conditioner, light and more are interconnected, bringing about the concept of energy efficient
‘smart cities’.
The technology of the internet further demonstrates a positive impact of technology on the
environment due to the fact that social media can raise awareness of global issue and
worldwide virtual laboratories can be created. Experts from different fields can remotely share
their research, experience and ideas in order to come up with improved solutions. In addition,
travel is reduced as meetings/communication between friends and families can be done
virtually, which reduces pollution from transport emissions.
 

 Electric vehicles

The environmental technology of the electric vehicle is propelled by one or more electric
motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Since 2008, there has been an increase
in the manufacturing of electric vehicles due to the desire to reduce environmental concerns
such as air pollution and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Electric vehicles demonstrate a positive impact of technology on the environment because they
do not produce carbon emissions, which contribute towards the ‘greenhouse effect’ and leads
to global warming. Furthermore, they do not contribute to air pollution, meaning they are
cleaner and less harmful to human health, animals, plants, and water.
There have recently been several environmental technology government incentives
encouraging plug-in vehicles, tax credits and subsidies to promote the introduction and
adoption of electric vehicles. Electric vehicles could potentially be the way forward for a
greener society because companies such as Bloomberg have predicted that they could become
cheaper than petrol cars by 2024 and according to Nissan, there are now in fact more electric
vehicle charging stations in the UK than fuel stations 3.
 

 ‘Direct Air Capture’ (DAC) – Environmental Technology removing Carbon from the
atmosphere

For a slightly more ambitious technology to conclude with, the idea of pulling carbon dioxide
directly out of the atmosphere has been circulating climate change mitigation research for
years, however it has only recently been implemented and is still in the early stages of
development.
The environmental technology is known as ‘Direct Air Capture’ (DAC) and is the process of
capturing carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air and generating a concentrated stream of
CO2 for sequestration or utilisation. The air is then pushed through a filter by many large fans,
where CO2 is removed. It is thought that this technology can be used to manage emissions
from distributed sources, such as exhaust fumes from cars. Full-scale DAC operations are able
to absorb the equivalent amount of carbon to the annual emissions of 250,000 average cars.
Many argue that DAC is essential for climate change mitigation and that it can help reach the
Paris Climate Agreement goals, as carbon dioxide in the air has been the main cause of the
problem after all. However, the high cost of DAC currently means that it is not an option on a
large scale and some believe that reliance on this technology would pose a risk as it may reduce
emission reduction as people may be under the pretense that all of their emissions will simply
be removed.
Image source: http://www.texasvox.org/direct-air-capture-co2-climate-solution-limitations/
 
Although we cannot reverse the negative impact of technology on the environment caused by
industrialisation, many believe that new environmental technology, such as renewable energy
combined with smart logistics and electric transport, has the potential to bring about the rapid
decarbonisation of our economy and the mitigation of further detrimental harm.
 

How can the environmental technology of Edinburgh Sensors’ Gas Sensor contribute?
Sensors play a huge part in the positive impact of technology on the environment as they often
play a vital role in the monitoring and reduction of harmful activities. At Edinburgh Sensors, we
produce bespoke gas sensing technology which can be used across a wide range of applications,
many of which can be used to mitigate environmental concerns. This article presents just three
of these applications; the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions, the monitoring of methane
using an infrared sensor and the detection of gases using a UAV drone.
 

1. Monitoring of Greenhouse Gas emissions: https://edinburghsensors.com/news-and-

events/measuring-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
Edinburgh Sensors Gascard NG provides high quality, accurate and reliable measurements of
CO, CO2 and CH4. To find out how we can assist you with the measurement of greenhouse gas
emissions, simply contact us.
 

2. Using an Infrared Sensor for reliable Methane

monitoring: https://edinburghsensors.com/news-and-events/infrared-sensor-gas-
monitoring/

Edinburgh Sensors’ Gascard NG is used for methane detection in a range of research, industrial,
and environmental applications including pollution monitoring, agricultural research, chemical
processes and many more.
 

3. Using a UAV drone attached to a gas sensor to measure harmful

gases: https://edinburghsensors.com/news-and-events/uav-drone-methane-
monitoring/

From monitoring global warming to tracking the spread of pollution, there are many reasons to
use a drone in order to monitor carbon dioxide, methane and other hydrocarbon gas
concentrations in remote or dangerous locations.
 

Get in touch
If you have enjoyed reading this article about the impact of environmental technology and
technology on the environment , why not join Edinburgh Sensors on social media and sign up
to our infrequent newsletter to be the first to know about our latest products, research and
developments.
Or if you have just as many concerns about the impact of technology on the environment as we
do and are interested in using gas sensing technology to play a part in the reduction of
environmental harm, we encourage you to get in touch with a member of our team today as we
would be delighted to assist you.
 
 

References
 1. Proudfoot, R. and Kelley, S. (2017). Can technology save the planet? WWF
Australia https://www.wwf.org.au/ArticleDocuments/360/pub-can-technology-save-
the-planet-30may17.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y

2. Nunez, C. (2019). Climate 101: Deforestation. National

Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-
warming/deforestation/#targetText=Between%201990%20and%202016%2C
%20the,study%20in%20the%20journal%20Nature

3. Visor, D. (2019). Electric car charging stations surpass number of fuel stations in less
than 100 years since UK’s first petrol pump installed. Nissan
News. https://uk.nissannews.com/en-GB/releases/release-
c2df391cdf0dd0c30a0575ffb50231f8-uk-ev-charging-stations-surpass-number-of-fuel-
stations#
The impact of technologies on the environment

Introduction
Technological evolution revolutionized the way that we live our lives. Today, communication
and a humongous number of services is as distant as one mouse click or a simple chat message.
Technology has evolved so much, and with it, the need for different resources required to
support this technological evolution. Our lives were impacted by technological evolution in so
many different ways that it is hard to quantify or enumerate some of the most impacted areas.

In this article, it will be discussed the impact of technologies on the environment.

Like in many other areas, the technological evolution has a huge impact on the resources we
consume all over the planet.

Electrical energy powers today’s technologies, but in order to generate the increasing demand
for energy, by-products harmful to our own health and to the planet are also created.

Electrical Energy production

Energy production has more than doubled in the last twenty years, with a huge impact from the
Asian continent:
 
Source: Enerdata

With this increase, and because only recently more efforts were taken towards the introduction
renewable energy sources, most of this production came from fossil fuel consumption,
generating with it, known secondary effects, such as global warming and the ozone hole and
lots of pollution. Only recently, a larger awareness and recognition that these facts are
connected, allowed creating the necessary conditions to raise awareness into the negative
impact of the usage of these resources in our lives and with it, the necessary political will to
start making changes.

Worldwide energy production

There is not reliable information about the number of computers or other electronic devices in
the world, not today or past data, but there is information the number of internet connected
devices over time:
Source: Internet Live Stats

These numbers can provide a reference for the growth of electronic devices used in the last
years, which allows having an estimate about how much energy is required to maintain all
these devices up and running.

In the year 2000, there were about 415M internet connected devices, which at this time means
computers. In 2016 and accounting for all device types, there are about 3.5MM. This represents
a growth of 826% in 16 years. It is expected that these figures increase dramatically over time
with the increasing introduction of other internet-connected devices. To mention that it is not
clear if these figures also include all the necessary network infrastructure equipment required
to keep the “internet” active, such as servers and network equipment.

Despite the fact that most of the internet services used nowadays are “cloud based”, those still
require physical computers to make them available. Large companies share IT resources via
datacenters that concentrate large arrays of servers, while sharing the same building and
cooling infrastructures, making this a more efficient manner to provide and IT services.
Nonetheless, datacenters still require electrical power to run.

“An estimate of total U.S. data center electricity use (servers, storage, network equipment, and
infrastructure) from 2000-2020. In 2014, data centers in the U.S. consumed an estimated 70
billion kWh, representing about 1.8% of total U.S. electricity consumption. Current study results
show data center electricity consumption increased by about 4% from 2010-2014, a large shift
from the 24% percent increase estimated from 2005-2010 and the nearly 90% increase
estimated from 2000- 2005. Energy use is expected to continue slightly increasing in the near
future, increasing 4% from 2014-2020, the same rate as the past five years. Based on current
trend estimates, U.S. data centers are projected to consume approximately 73 billion kWh in
2020.”

Source: https://eta.lbl.gov

This means that with the growth of the number of IT devices that are used, it is also expected
that electrical energy demands also increase, as both electrical energy consumption and
thermal efficiency did not suffer significant improvements over the last years.

To mention that in a near future, electrical vehicles will become an affordable reality,
contributing to the electrical energy demand. Also, technologies being developed in this area
related to fast battery charging, consume a huge amount of energy in order to make the charge
as fast as possible.
Digital coin mining
As a new trend, digital coin mining became very popular. Unfortunately, due to the complex
calculations required to mine it, the electrical power required for these operations is extremely
high. As direct by-product of this operation, a tremendous amount of heat is generated which
on its turn, requires cooling using air conditioner or other similar devices that also consume
electrical power, generating additional heat as a by-product.

According to digiconomist.net, annual estimated electricity consumption for coin mining was
around 66 TWh/year which represents around 0,3% of the world energy consumption making it
a significant share when compared with the actual value that it holds for our daily needs.
Because this is a digital good, traded in the same way as any other commodity, that value lives
only from speculation and the value that someone else thinks it is worth. It does not hold any
actual value nor brings any benefit for the human being, as it is not an accepted form of
currency. This makes digital coin mining a complete waste of valuable resources.

Electronic devices production and its impact

Electronic devices are built using some of the most common resources available in our planet,
such as sand and some of the rarest, like gold. In addition, extremely dangerous and harmful
chemicals such as lead and mercury are used in the process.

These materials need to be extracted from our planets ground, not always following the most
ecological or environment respectful methods, especially on the poorest countries that do not
have access to affordable and efficient mining and processing equipment and most importantly
the knowledge and awareness for topics related to environmental protection. In these places,
extremely dangerous chemicals are used, such as mercury in order to extract some materials.
Those end up by being dumped into the ground without any treatment or concern to
environment or even the areas where people live.
Copper mine in west-northwest of the town of Green Valley, Arizona

Mir mine in Siberia is another example of how harmful humans can be towards the
environment. This mine can be seen from space:
 

This pit is over 500m deep and 1.2km of diameter. This is manmade and not even the largest in
the world.

Poorest countries are severely affected by this type of industry. First, because they have some
of the largest reserves but mainly because of the cheaper labor costs. These countries will
eventually be “forced” to facilitate some flexibility as these business areas represent some of
the largest economic sectors. Large electronic companies are also to blame, as nowadays
everything is profit based, and all companies compete towards the lowest price and the highest
profit margin, regardless. In this article, it was not even mentioned the conditions that workers
are obliged in these places. Nothing that a simple internet search cannot fix… (I leave that
research up to the reader).
 

Building today’s devices, which have typically a lifespan of around 2 to 3 years, take a huge
amount of resources. In order to build a regular computer, it takes around:
• 3 times its weight on fossil fuels
• For every gram of a silicon wafer, 630 grams of fossil fuels are used
• For 2 gram microchips, 1,5 kg of fuels and chemicals are required. Not to mention the
necessary 30 kg of clean water
• A PC, takes around 1,5 tons of water to be manufactured
• 22 kg of harmful chemicals. Extremely dangerous and harmful, such as lead

The way that we can reduce this impact is to use our devices to their limits. When they become
outdated, they can be repurposed, for example, by being donated to a charity or to convert
them for other purposes where lower processing capacity is required (for example, home
automation devices).

When their life is over, it is pivotal that devices are disposed on a responsible manner and
recycled so that they can be reborn into a new purpose. Never, by all means, can electronic
devices be dumped into regular domestic garbage disposals.

Is recycling the solution?

Recycling is the only acceptable solution for our electronic devices. Although, there are costs
associated to the process, due to need to separate the different materials used in the
manufacturing process. Some countries choose to apply some taxes on the purchase of new
equipment that are after aimed to support part of the costs of recycling electronic devices.

Despite of the costs of recycling, it does not mean that it is not a profitable business. Electronics
does not include only toxic materials but also rare ones like gold and other precious materials,
which can be sold and recycled into other purposes. Not to mention the traditional aluminum
and petroleum based materials, which will retain their value and can be recycled multiple
times. There are several companies that have specialized in this area.

“Recycling aluminium, for example, can reduce energy consumption by as much as 95%. Savings
for other materials are lower but still substantial: about 70% for plastics, 60% for steel, 40% for
paper and 30% for glass. Recycling also reduces emissions of pollutants that can cause smog,
acid rain and the contamination of waterways.”

Source: Economist
Source: Eurostat

Eurostat keeps indicators of the recycling rate for electronic devices. This rate is calculated as
the quantity of new equipment sold vs the ones recycled. As can be seen on the chart above,
rate has been growing although, in 2015 it was still approximately 35%.

In the end, everyone is accountable to make sure that every electronic equipment, batteries,
chargers, etc., are properly disposed and delivered to recycling centers. It is extremely common
to find situations where batteries were disposed of into common garbage disposal. These
represent a great danger to our health and cause severe environmental damages.

“For humans, both lead and cadmium can be taken only by ingestion or inhalation. Mercury and
other harmful metals can even be absorbed through the skin, although this metal’s use in
batteries has declined greatly due to laws and regulations that have been put in place (E.g. US
Battery Act, 1996) to reduce its content.
These harmful substances permeate into the soil, groundwater and surface water through
landfills and also release toxins into the air when they are burnt in municipal waste combustors.
Moreover, cadmium is easily taken up by plant roots and accumulates in fruits, vegetables and
grass. The impure water and plants, in turn, are consumed by animals and human beings, who
then fall prey to a host of ill effects. Studies indicate that nausea, excessive salivation,
abdominal pain, liver and kidney damage, skin irritation, headaches, asthma, nervousness,
decreased IQ in children and, sometimes, even cancer, can result from exposure to such metals
for a sufficient period of time.

In addition, potassium, if it leaks, can cause severe chemical burns thereby affecting the eyes
and skin. Landfills also generate methane gas leading to the ‘greenhouse effect’ and global
climatic changes.”

Source: Frost.com

What can be done to minimize impact on environment?

We live in a society where the environmental conscience does not exist on a general manner.
This is a reality over all the sectors from our society. Most governments do not have the
determination to make a significant change, as there is also no motivation from the society to
clearly and strongly support such movements.

Also, the way that most people run their lives, were every material goods are disposable, not
many people are concerned on disposing those goods on the proper manner using recycling
centers, often choosing the easiest way to do so, which is to simply throw stuff away on
common garbage disposals. How many times were you offered a plastic straw on a bar for your
drink or simply dropped into your glass? How many times did you refused a plastic straw? Well,
most of those tiny plastic straws end up on common garbage, or during the process, floating in
the ocean (due to many causes). Small actions like refusing a plastic straw can make a
significant impact on the environment. This applies for many other situations. Simply think on
the things that you throw away, minutes after you got it. Refuse to use these things.

Companies are also interested on making profits and environmental concerns are not at all
aligned towards profits. There are costs associated to being respectful towards the
environment. Even when there are not costs, it is common to choose the easiest way to do
things by dumping residues (byproduct of the production processes) directly into the nature
without proper treatment. This usually contaminates the soil or water supplies that we all need
to live. It is common to find regions where people’s health is affected by this sort of behaviors.
In some cases, and because it is cheaper to do so, companies hire laboratories to “create”
results that are favorable to the company. In the 1960’s a company in the U.S. did so. There is a
known movie that portraits (and dramatizes) the process (Erin Brockovich). This is a real story.

Companies are also interested on selling new devices instead of making them last longer. It is
common to find evidences that a device was built for a certain amount of utilizations and after
that, to be thrown away. Typically, the costs to repair an equipment, such as a mobile phone,
can be very close to the cost a new one. In some cases, manufacturers install parts that will
break on disassembly to deliberately avoid its repair.

In addition to that, companies are profit driven, and designing products with a much shorter
lifespan than what can be technically achieved is a common strategy amongst the industry.
Many times, and especially on electronic devices, it is common for manufacturers to include a
“suicide” functionality which will automatically activate after some time or number of
utilizations, even though that there’s nothing wrong with the device.

It is everyone’s responsibility to run his or her lives on a sustainable manner. This can be
achieved by reducing the resources used to a minimum, such as packaging, driving, shopping.
Some of the things with positive impact on the environment, include using material goods to
the maximum of their lifespan, refusing to use plastic based products, saving water and energy.
Using public transportation for every day commuting is also a good way to save our planet.

Another obvious way to contribute is to apply the 3R policy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

As an example, it is substantially more harmful to the environment to build a new car, then to
keep an old car running (even one that emits more pollution). So, think twice on the
environment before thinking on purchasing the latest shiny model of your favorite vehicle.

Specific to IT companies, there is also things that can be done. It is possible to imagine that
most companies in this area to have a lot of electronic waste. Companies need to make sure
that those are properly disposed of into recycling centers. Also, when it comes to energy
consumption, it is very common to let computers or screens running during the night for no
special reason, even if “standby” is being used. Why not shutting down these devices at night
even though that only residual power consumption is used? Intelligent lighting or air
conditioner, garbage separation is also in the list. What about plastic cups for your water or
coffee? How many do you use per day and why can’t those be made of reusable glass instead?

Renewable energies
Investing in renewable energies it is also an excellent way to contribute towards the change
into a greener economy but also to retrieve economic benefits without causing major harm to
the environment. It has never cheaper to buy solar panels which can be used to generate
electrical power for most of the needs. There are small solar panels that can be used to charge
your mobile phone, or large ones that can power entire buildings, not to mention the
substantial reduction of energy related expenses.

Multiple companies and governments are investing in this area, not only for the ecological
benefits, but also to reduce dependency from neighboring countries for electrical power,
contributing to reduce trade balance deficit. It is also interesting to see that there is now some
healthy competition about the number of days that a country can “run” without resorting to
fossil fuel electrical power generation.
“UK runs without coal power for three days in a row”

Source: The Guardian

There are multiple ways to invest in this area. Someone that cannot afford or does not have the
necessary space to acquire solar panels, might be able to acquire positions in investment funds
of this area, with the possibility of some monetary earnings in the process. There is a large offer
on this area, which is usually available on regular banks. These products often offer a low but
regular profit distribution or a valorization of the investment. These investments are cross
sector by investing on all available renewable energy sources. Also, it usual for these funds to
invest as well in R&D in this area. Interesting fact, is that petroleum based companies are also
investing in this area which predicts that even these companies are aware of the mentality
switch soon to happen.

https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empresas/detalhe/repsol-investe-15000-milhoes-de-euros-
ate-2020-e-aposta-em-projectos-solares-e-eolicos

It is also possible to make an investment for domestic users, but in this case, it will take time to
pay off on the investment. A set of two solar panels, will take ten to fifteen years to pay off. It is
preferable and more efficient to make large-scale investments.

Companies which are a reference

There are some companies that implemented internal policies and assume commitments
towards a “green economy”. International retailer (ALDI Supermarkets) enforces strong policies
(hope they don’t mind I use their brand for good examples). For example, newer stores are
installed with arrays of solar panels that not only provide more than enough energy for the
store, but also have initiatives to allow electrical vehicle charging for free, using this energy:

https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/motor-24/carros-eletricos-vao-poder-andar-com-energia-dos-
paineis-solares/

As another example, they have also created other initiates in order to eliminate the usage of
certain harmful chemicals for the products that they sell:

https://www.aldi.pt/aldi_normas_ambientais_de_producao_textil_e_de_calcado_700.html

 
Conclusion
I would like to leave one additional reference, for a video that shows what is the final
destination of a large part of the technologic devices that we simply throw away. In some of the
cases, even the devices that were properly disposed of:

Some Important Features of Curriculum Management

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There are several definitions of the term curriculum some of which are described here.
In its broadest sense, it includes the complete environment of the institution incorporating all
the courses, activities, readings and associations furnished to the students in the institution.

According to Doll, the curriculum of an institution is the formal and informal content and
process by which learners gain knowledge and understanding, develop skills and alter attitudes,
appreciations and values under the auspices of that institution.

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In another definition, curriculum is defined as a plan for providing sets of learning opportunities
to achieve broad goals and related specific objectives for an identifiable population served by a
single unit or institution.

Thus, a curriculum is characterized by the following features:

(1) It is intended or anticipatory in nature.

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(2) It includes plans and sub-plans for the teaching-learning processes.

(3) It includes guided, pre-selected learning experiences to which students need to be exposed.

(4) It focuses on aims and objectives as well as the outcomes of being educated.
(5) It incorporates a system of achieving educational production including curriculum design
and planning, implementation and evaluation.

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(6) It is always meant for an identifiable population served by a single institution.

Every educational institution has a planned, formal, acknowledged curriculum as well as a wide
variety of informal, unplanned or covert factors known as hidden curriculum. The planned
curriculum encompasses content usually characterized by knowledge within subjects and
subject fields.

On the other hand, the unplanned curriculum includes such varied experiences such as learning
to like mathematics, resisting pressure to smoke or take ‘gutka’, developing a prejudice against
a particular community or teasing classmates, learning to copy/cheat in examination etc.

In this chapter the term ‘curriculum’ refers to all planned activity involving students and
teachers, teaching approaches and methods.

Why is curriculum important?

By Melissa Williams September 10, 2019 Share  

As you were learning how to become a teacher, the weighty tomes of curriculum were likely set
out in front of you, and they probably looked daunting at best. Each subject area has its very
own roadmap (or epic saga, really!), and despite the lengths of these materials, it’s extremely
important that you become best buddies with any curriculum documents you are given.

But why exactly? You hopefully have a little freedom in your classroom to take things in a really
unique direction here and there, but the curriculum should always be your compass. Here are
the top four reasons to treasure curriculum.

Top 4 reasons why curriculum is important

Photo credit: inbal marilli / Unsplash
1. A steady, organized path

Your curriculum is essentially a series of activities and learning outcome goals related to each
subject. It serves as a great map, outlining where you need to go and how to get there.
Curriculum docs are not created overnight: Aa great deal of thought, time, effort, and expertise
go into their development, so don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

If you’re feeling passionate about putting your own special flair on your teaching, don’t fret!
While the curriculum charts the path and provides ideas along the way to support your
teaching, there is always room for interpretation. Let the curriculum serve as a guide path and
sprinkle in your own style as you go. And hey, who doesn’t love a good blackline master or
curriculum activity? They’ve been created to help you and your students, so go ahead and use
them!

An example of the steady path of structure that a curriculum provides lies in its framework.
Larger learning goals are broken down into more specific ones and desired outcomes. In this
way, you can see the big picture and better understand how smaller lessons help you teach
overarching concepts.
A fifth-grade student in a physical education class may be required to learn ‘movement.’ That’s
fairly vague. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that your students are to learn how to
detect errors in movement, carry out movement sequences, and perform transport skills, along
with a few other pieces of the puzzle. Once you see the structure (or organization) of the
learning outcome, everything becomes clearer.
Photo credit: Jon Tyson / Unsplash web
2. Progress!

A well-crafted curriculum serves as a reference to ensure that you’re on the right track. Its
components are designed to develop concepts, from a basic level to increasingly complex topics
or skills.

It’s important to remember that a curriculum is not an isolated signpost for a single school year.
Rather, it’s a part of a much bigger puzzle that’s connected to the curriculum for every other
grade. Students make progress from year to year. By following the curriculum with your
students, you’re preparing them to continue on their journey the next year, and each year
after, in a more logical and organized fashion.

While learning how to write important sight words and read basic texts are all the rage in one
grade, in the next grade, students may be writing longer pieces in the form of short stories and
reading more independently with lengthier texts. While adding and subtracting are the crucial
skills to learn in the first few years of school, they give way to multiplication, division, and
eventually, algebra and calculus as students build upon their foundations.

Progress is essential and curriculum docs allow this sequential learning to take place.
Photo credit: Jonathan Daniels / Unsplash
3. Common goals

The goals for each subject area aren’t just for students — they’re also for teachers. We have
goals set out in the curriculum for what we need to teach in a given year, and our students have
goals for what they need to learn. Clearly, there’s a lot of overlap there; shared goals make it
easier for instructors to align their teaching methods with students’ academic needs to ensure
that they succeed.

Beyond creating shared goals between teachers and students, curriculum also standardizes the
learning goals for an entire school and provides a clear path for students to progress from one
grade to another. Students must meet certain core competencies before moving on to
advanced subjects, such as mastering algebra before ever attempting calculus. Without such a
standardized curriculum in place, instructors would have to create their own learning objectives
and somehow coordinate with one another to ensure that their students are on track.

Perhaps more importantly, students who complete high school and achieve all the learning
objectives set out for them will be ready for post-secondary education or the workforce with a
similar baseline of skills, making it easier for employers to identify truly qualified candidates.
Photo credit: Google Edu
4. Always changing

Finally, embracing curriculum is worthwhile for yourself and your students because it’s not
something static. Docs are regularly revisited and updated to reflect the current needs of
students and society at large.

These updates and changes are the results of collaboration and research. Your students will
benefit in major ways from the latest information and from having emphasis placed on the skills
that are really needed in today’s world.

Certain skills or learning goals may fall out of favor over time (hello, cursive writing!) and are
generally replaced with more pertinent goals. As a teacher, you know that there simply isn’t
enough time in a school year to learn everything. Thus, it’s especially important to zero in on
the most pressing needs and goals for students.

These days, tech skills are high on the list of needs. Students have to be tech-savvy in order to
do well in the modern world, and teachers and schools have a responsibility to prepare them
for just that (although, my six-year-old is probably surpassing me in the tech-savvy realm at this
point … Okay, so maybe we need to teach these basic skills so that our kids and students can
help us out with technology in a few years!).

The importance of curriculum development in enhancing teaching and learning

Another positive and important shift in curriculum has been one of global citizenship. Students
are learning more about how to exist and contribute in a world that is increasingly intertwined
and interconnected. Global issues affect everyone in a different manner than in the past.
Largely due to technology, we’re connected in a way that was not experienced by previous
generations, and students need to be able to navigate their role and journey in this global
community.

All this goes to show that curriculum must and does change regularly, making it an even more
essential foundation on which to base our teaching methods. By effectively using curriculum,
you’ll be helping your students stay on top of the latest in-demand skills and to have a more
coherent learning path.

Features of Curriculum

1. To raise the academic results and abilities of the students

a. Depending on the interest and the abilities of the students, the school will run both EMI and
CMI classes in junior forms. 
b. Small class teaching is practiced, with about 30 students in each class. 
c. To put lessons in life, Professional native English teachers are specially employed for the
purpose of teaching English through drama.  
d. To cater for learner differences, our teachers hold supplementary lessons after school with
tailored teaching materials.  
e. Several professional instructors are employed by our school to run tutorial classes after
school.   
f. To bridge for the NSS curriculum, Liberal Studies is introduced in junior forms. 
g. Our school possesses an English Learning Center, holds English self-learning software, and
organizes activities like English Week and English Corner. English Cafe is particularly set up for
students to talk and play games with NETs.
h. In order to cultivate a good reading habit and the ability to appreciate arts, our school runs
“Poem Every Week” program as well as introducing a weekly lesson in “Appreciation of
Chinese and Western Classics.”
i. Introduction of Early Reading Period for all students and teachers to cultivate reading habit  
in the whole school. “Monthly Extensive Reading” Scheme, which requires a student to read all
least a Chinese and an English book and do a written or an oral report every month, is set up.
As for “Happy Reading at QualiEd” spontaneous reading scheme, we choose 6 books according
to their difficulties out of 5 categories (literature, art, history, philosophy and science) for
students joining that. We hope interested and capable students can explore a wide array of
knowledge in depth systematically. We also organize a school-wide reading scheme, “Reading
Together at QualiEd.” Under that scheme, the whole class or school reads the same book and
join the corresponding activities.  

2. To refine the taste and personality of the students

a. Each S.1 student has to attend at least 10 hours of on Chinese tea culture and Spanish for
enrichment.
 
b. Every S.2 student has to attend at least 10 hours of on Chinese Calligraphy and Korean.
c. Each student is expected to participate in at least 30 hours of social services. Through
organizing, leading and participating in social services, students can develop a positive
personality as well as leadership skills. 
d. All junior form students are expected to join one uniformed group to train their law-abiding
spirit.

e. Each student has to take part in adventure training course, body-building and rock climbing  
classes so as to build their esteem, discipline and team spirit.

3. To inspire the diversified knowledge and the creativity students

Boundless Education

Beyond the boundaries of subjects: Integrated Learning

Our school changes the learning mode of a bounded single subject by restructuring and
consolidating various subjects. Our school emphasizes cross-subjects collaboration by
introducing cross-subjects curriculum such as, Integrated Humanities, Combined Science,
Combined Arts and Life Education. By doing so, we hope to cultivate generic and practical skills
of the students.

Beyond lesson time – Independent Learning

- Our school changes the learning mode of the existing fixed lesson time. Apart from adjusting
the length of lesson time to cater for different teaching needs, we bring in independent
reading session and after-school self-learning session. We also set up online self-learning
curriculum and databank so that students are no longer constrained by lesson time. No matter
after school, at home or even at whatever time, students can learn by themselves by logging in
the databank of the school online. This enhances the learning effectiveness.

Beyond restriction of forms and classes – Catering for Learner Differences

- We reform the learning mode of fixed forms and classes. For the three core subjects, i.e.
Chinese, English and Mathematics, we arrange students into different groups according to
their learning abilities, instead of the traditional forms and classes, so as to cater for learner
differences. Our teachers devise appropriate teaching materials and deploy suitable teaching
strategies based on the features and needs of different learner groups. By doing so, we help
students of different abilities to gains more in the lesson.

Beyond the boundary of classroom – Authentic Learning

- We go beyond classroom teaching. Students and teachers go outside the classrooms and the
campus to practice Authentic Learning and explore various interactive learning experiences,
such as project learning, social services, study tour and extra-curricular activities. Students can
acquire all-rounded knowledge from diversified learning, and consolidate subject knowledge
by practicing.

Beyond geographical boundary – Around-the-world Learning

- We no longer follow the traditional place-based learning mode. We encourage students to
travel outside Hong Kong and explore the world. Our school has established partnership of
teaching, continuing education as well as exchange scheme with education institutions around
the world. Every year, we invite overseas scholars and students to visit us, or to lecture or
exchange ideas by using internet or videoconferencing. We regularly arrange students to
exchange or have study tour to overseas schools during extended holidays so that the thinking
skills and the visions of our students can go beyond geographical boundary and cater for the
global development.
What is Microteaching?

The art of teaching is a complex process, which is not limited to transferring of knowledge from

one to another.

It requires good verbal and non-verbal skills. It includes various techniques in order to transfer

knowledge effectively. Not everyone can master it.

With the vast growth in all sectors, effective teaching skills are in great demand. Therefore, due

to this demand, the concept of microteaching came into action.

It is a new innovative program for teachers, which enhances their classroom attitude and

behaviour. Many pre-primary education institutes have taken up micro teaching practices in

order to equip teachers with an effective method of teaching.

Underlying Principles of Micro teaching:

Microteaching revolves around certain principles to improve its reach in the all-round

development of the teachers.

1. One skill at one time:

Skills in microteaching are targeted one at a time. Training on particular skills are given until it is

mastered. Once mastered another skill is targeted next. Thus, micro teaching aims for one skill

at a time.

2. Small scale content:

Limiting the content gives more freedom and ease to the trainees. Thus, micro teaching is

based upon the principle of limited content. Teachers are to prepare their lessons within the

given content, therefore, it becomes easier for them to conduct their lessons.

3. Practice makes a man perfect:

Mastering skills require practice. While focusing on one skill at a time, micro teaching program

also gives an opportunity to practice those skills. Lots of practice can boost the self-

confidence and promote in development of teaching skills.

4. Experiments:

Experiments are the key factors in any concept. In micro teaching, many experiments are

conducted in order to test the skills of the teachers.

For example, the supervisors conduct experiments where the length of the lessons, time

duration, the strength of students in the class etc is changed. These skills are tested under

controlled condition.

5. Instantaneous feedbacks:

Micro teaching consists of teacher-pupil and supervisor as students. Once a session ends,

teacher-pupil and supervisors come up with their feedback. This feedback is given instantly

after the lesson plan ends. Thus, it helps in rectifying the drawbacks.

6. Self-evaluation opportunities:

Evaluation plays an important role in any task. In micro-teaching, supervisors conduct various

tests and thus there are several chances to analyze mistakes.

Evaluation gives an opportunity to understand the mistake and overcome it. This program

includes a session where drawbacks are pointed out along with their solution. Thus, overall

improvement becomes an easier target.

7. Continuous efforts:

Acquiring and mastering skills is a slow and ongoing process. Even after mastering a previous

skill, one should continually strive for betterment. Continuous efforts make it easier to attain

overall development.

Concept of Micro teaching:

Micro-Teaching is a special teaching practice model or teaching training method. In this

teaching context, there contains many actions like use of methods, usage of media, learning

guide, motivation, classroom management, assessment, analyzing and so on.

The concept of microteaching is mainly based on the following points

 Teaching in its real form but with a minimum concept

 The exercise which is designed focuses mostly on the basic teaching skills with the

help of feedback based on the knowledge and information of the student learning

level.

 The teaching is conducted for students who are from different backgrounds and their

intellectual abilities.

 Monitoring the micro-teaching exercises conducted in classrooms

 Enabling the prospective teachers to learn effective teaching skills.

 Helping the students to actively participate in teaching by providing a low-risk

situation.

 It also offers opportunities for retraining at regular time intervals

Procedure of Micro teaching:

1. Skill definition:

The pupil-teacher or the supervisor defines a certain skill. The skills of micro-teaching are

defined regarding the teaching behaviours in order to procure knowledge of required skills,

which they have to focus on.

2. Demonstration:

The demonstration is the second step in the process. Experts demonstrate the specific skill by

themselves or with the help of audio\video tape recordings to the teacher trainee. This gives an

idea to the teachers to work accordingly.

3. Lesson planning:

This step is the first action by the student-teacher. The trainee teacher plans a short lesson

through which he/she could practice the skill. This microteaching lesson plan is done with the

help of his supervisor.

4. Conducting lesson:

Once the planning is done, according to the targeted skill the pupil-teacher teaches the planned

lesson to the group of students. These lessons are observed by supervisors and pupil teachers.

Further, they are videotaped, audio-taped, or televised through a CCTV camera. These tapes

are later used for self-evaluation as well.

5. Discussion and conclusion:

Once the teaching session comes to an end it is followed by a concluding session. The

concluding session consists of feedback from the supervisor.

During this session, the audio or video recording may also be displayed in order to give an

opportunity to evaluate oneself. Moreover, it also boosts the confidence level of the trainee. It

is the best way to reinforce the trainee to work better the next time.

6. Re-planning:

Mastering a skill is an ongoing process. Thus, once the cycle of micro teaching revolves, the

process is repeated. This repetition involves the re-planning of the lesson plan. The aim of this

re-planning is to master the skill mentioned earlier.

7. Re-teaching:

On completion of the re-planning of the lesson, it is again taught to another group of students

from the same class. The time duration is kept as same as the previous class. This method

contributes in practicing the skill repeatedly.

8. Re-discussion:

At the end of the re-teaching session, the discussion and conclusion step is repeated. These

discussions and suggestions encourage the performance of the trainee. Thus, the process of

feedback is procured to enhance performance furthermore.

9. Redoing:

After the end of every session, this cycle is repeated. The repetition is continued until the

required skill is mastered. This process is repeated while attaining all the required skills.

Thus, we can conclude that micro-teaching involves the 4R’s viz, Recording, Re-teaching, Re-

discussing, and Redoing.

3 Phases of Microteaching:

1. Knowledge acquisition:

This is the first phase of micro teaching. It includes the collection of data. In this phase, the

trainee teacher gathers knowledge about the required skills by reading different literature as

well as going through certain demonstrating videos.

Further, this phase includes the understanding of required skill in a rational manner, as a

classroom component.

2. Skill acquisition:

This is the working phase of the micro-teaching program. Under this phase, the trainee teacher

is asked to prepare lessons and practice skills based on the model presented at the start.

Here, the two important factors of micro teaching are the feedback and the setting. Setting

includes the length of the lesson, the duration of the class, the skill to be obtained, the

supervisor and the students.

3. Transferring phase:

This is the last and major phase of micro-teaching. Here the trainee comes out in a real

situation, which is not controlled.

Here the teachers, as well as the students, get the platform to learn and grow. This takes place

in a real classroom, unlike the previous stages of micro teaching.

Benefits or Advantages of Micro Teaching:

Micro-teaching is a platform for beginner teachers to improve teaching competencies. Here are

few micro teaching benefits

1. The elasticity of practice:

Micro-teaching helps in developing various skills in trainees as well as the current teaching staff.

It helps in improving the handling skills of the teachers. It gives better opportunities due to

small-scale teaching.

Moreover, it broadens the knowledge of various techniques of teaching.

2. Confidence booster:

Micro teaching is a personality enhancer too. Due to several micro-teaching activities and

practices, micro teaching effectively increases the confidence level of the teachers. Moreover,

the experience of teaching enables them to better classroom management.

3. Budget oriented:

Unlike other various programs and seminars that are very costly, micro teaching program is

budget-oriented. Teachers can practice within the real class or at any other place.

4. More learning and less damage:

Micro teaching program is conducted with no more than 3-4 students at a time. This makes it

possible to acquire a better teaching experience. In addition, it lessens the chances of mistakes.

5. Improves attitude:

A positive attitude contributes to better results. Thus, one of the objectives of this program is to

guide the trainees to attain a positive attitude towards any criticism. As a result, negative

feedbacks given in a positive way helps to motivate the trainees to strive for betterment.
6. Promotes systematic lesson planning:

Lesson planning is one of the skills that a teacher needs to master. Micro teaching program,

within a given content, helps the trainee to prepare systematic lesson plans.

7. Instant feedback:

Feedbacks are the best way to improve. Micro teaching enables the teachers to gain instant

feedback from the supervisors. Instant feedback gives more potential for rectifying mistakes.

8. Mastering skills:

This program helps in mastering types of micro teaching skills and strategies like lecturing,

questioning, probing and initiating discussions. Further, it helps in improving a separate

teaching style.

Limitations or Disadvantages of Micro Teaching:

The following mentioned are a few micro teaching limitations.

1. Hampers creativity:

Creativity is the core of any job. It flows along with the task. However, in the process of micro

teaching, due to the limited period, it becomes difficult to bring out that creativity.

Thus, micro teaching does not contribute to increasing the bars of creativity.
2. Training Staff:

Better teaching promotes a better learning experience. Similarly, for better teaching, one needs

to undergo better training as well.

Micro teaching course benefits teachers in gaining that experience, but it requires well-trained

educators to train the teachers. Without a proper educating staff, it is impossible to implement

micro teaching course.

3. Lesser students lesser interest:

Teaching is an art. However, not everyone is capable of teaching. Any job needs passion and

interest. They play a key role in driving the person to strive for improvement.

In the micro teaching program, there are maximum 3-4 students, therefore, lesser students fail

to motivate the teacher to improve. Instead, there are chances of teachers losing their interest

altogether.

4. Wastes a lot of time:

Micro teaching is teacher-oriented activity. Here, the focus is on improving efficiency in

teaching techniques. Each session lasts around 5 – 10 minutes minimum. During this period, the

aim is to develop teaching skills and thus student learning is ignored. It certainly wastes the

time of student, as it does not benefit him.

Further, for practising several times, various students are called at different period. This may

also hamper their overall academic performance. Thus, it is advisable to conduct the training

program keeping in mind all the factors.

5. Training period timing:

Micro teaching program is undoubtedly a benefiting course for the teaching staff. It is a

promising method for the holistic development of the teachers in the teaching field.

However, there is one minor drawback of this program. The training period is not enough to

develop all the required skills properly. In addition, one trainee needs approximately 35

minutes to practice once. Not more than ten trainees can practice once within five hours. It is

certainly a time-consuming program.

6. Not realistic and practical:

Micro teaching is a very advanced form of learning however; it does have its own limitation.

When it comes to teaching a diverse level of students at once, it becomes a hassle. During the

training, the strength of the students is limited however when the strength of students is

increased it seems like a problem.

This program manages to keep the teachers away from real classroom problems. As a result,

trainees struggle in maintaining classroom behaviour. Moreover, the artificial situation does not

help in preparing teachers for the real-time situation.

7. One alone is not sufficient:

Micro teaching is a concept innovated at Stanford University by Professor Robert Bush and

Dwight Allen. One of the principles of micro teaching is skill enhancement.

However, these skills are targeted one at a time and so not all skills are developed within the

given period. Thus, integration of different micro teaching techniques is needed.

8. One at a time:

Apart from the skills, micro teaching involves only one trainee at a time. For a single session of

training, it requires approximately 35 minutes.

Thus, the single trainee can practice only once in 35 minutes. It is not only time consuming but

also an irritating process for the supervisors if there are more then ten trainees in a batch.

Micro teaching is indeed an advanced level of a teaching program that enables the teachers to

gain confidence before stepping into the profession of a teacher.

With the vast impact of globalization on every aspect of the world, there is certainly a need of

various schools. Efficient and effective teaching is one of the major factors parents look at

before enrolling their children into a school.

For more information on microteaching, refer to this article (pdf format):  uonbi

Thus, implementing micro teaching programs for new teachers as well as in-service teachers

are an ideal way to set foot with the world. Pros and cons are a part of every innovation and
thus keeping in mind those aspects one should opt for a suitable program. Micro teaching is a

widely accepted technique adopted and approved by various institutions.

Microteaching, an efficient technique for learning effective teaching

Ambili Remesh

Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract
Go to:

INTRODUCTION
The art of teaching does not merely involve a simple transfer of knowledge from one to other.
Instead, it is a complex process that facilitates and influences the process of learning. Quality of
a teacher is estimated on how much the students understand from his/her teaching. The
classrooms cannot be used as a learning platform for acquiring primary teaching skills. Training
of medical teachers in specific teaching skills is a major challenge in medical education
programs. The pedagogic skill for teaching can be acquired only through more structured and
cheaper faculty training techniques.[1] With the introduction of microteaching about five
decades ago, the lacunae of scientifically proven or effective methods to be followed in teacher
training programs has been overcome.[2]
The aim of this article is to emphasize the need for using microteaching techniques more
frequently and efficiently with minimum available facilities. A systematic literature search of
research articles and reviews was undertaken from various educational databases. From the
reference lists of published articles, books available were also reviewed.
Go to:
MICROTEACHING

Definition and basic concepts

Microteaching is a teacher training technique for learning teaching skills. It employs real
teaching situation for developing skills and helps to get deeper knowledge regarding the art of
teaching. This Stanford technique involved the steps of “plan, teach, observe, re-plan, re-teach
and re-observe” and has evolved as the core component in 91% of on-campus clinical teaching
development programs, with the significant reduction in the teaching complexities with respect
to number of students in a class, scope of content, and timeframe, etc.[3,4,5,6,7,8] Most of the
pre-service teacher education programs widely use microteaching, and it is a proven method to
attain gross improvement in the instructional experiences.[9] Effective student teaching should
be the prime quality of a teacher. As an innovative method of equipping teachers to be
effective, skills and practices of microteaching have been implemented.[10]

Efficient technique and effective teaching

Microteaching can be practiced with a very small lesson or a single concept and a less number
of students. It scales down the complexities of real teaching, as immediate feedback can be
sought after each practice session.[11,12,13] The modern-day multimedia equipment such as
audio–video recording devices have a key role in the learning process.[14]
Observing a fellow teacher and using a trial-and-error in own teaching sessions are very
common way of self-training. But, both of them have their own demerits. On the other hand,
microteaching helps in eliminating errors and builds stronger teaching skills for the beginners
and senior teachers.[15,16,17] Microteaching increases the self-confidence, improves the in-
class teaching performances, and develops the classroom management skills.[18,19]
Go to:

THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Microteaching in medical education

The traditional medical teaching emphasizes on the transmission of factual knowledge and
hence, the teachers are the main source of information. But, the conventional methods of
medical teacher training are not adequate. So, the teaching objectives have now shifted to the
student centered, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely concept.[20] Microteaching
allows learning each skill to the maximum extent as there is a chance of listening, observing,
and practicing.

Implementation of microteaching in medical education

There was an increase in interests toward introducing microteaching techniques in the Indian
medical schools.[21] This training technique provides medical teachers an excellent opportunity
to improve their teaching skills and follows the Skinners’ theory of operant conditioning and
also has a scientific basis.[22] The Medical Council of India has also recommended training for
medical teachers for their continued, efficient performance in that capacity at any age. It is
widely accepted that the quality and competency of medical teachers can be improved by
effective medical education training programs.

Steps and requirements of microteaching

Knowledge acquisition, skill acquisition, and transfer are the three different phases of
microteaching.[23] Figure 1 describes the various phases of microteaching. Knowledge
acquisition phase is the preparatory, pre-active phase, in which the teacher gets trained on the
skills and components of teaching through lectures, discussion, illustration, and demonstration
of the skill by the experts. In the interactive, skill acquisition phase, the teacher plans a micro-
lesson for practicing the demonstrated skills. The colleagues and peers can act as constructive
evaluators which also enable them to modify their own teaching-earning practices.[24] The
teacher can reinforce behaviors and skills that are necessary and extinguish that are not
needed. Ultimately, they can integrate and transfer this learned skills from simulated teaching
situation to real class room teaching.[25] Figure 2 lists the 10 key steps of a microteaching
activity.

Brexit’s Consequences for the UK – and the EU

Steven Blockmans / Michael Emerson

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Authors: Steven Blockmans and Michael Emerson

Series: CEPS Commentary

On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom will hold a referendum on whether it should remain in
the European Union or leave. A British exit, or Brexit, could have serious economic and political
consequences for both the UK and the rest of the EU. Such an exit is a distinct possibility,
with polling demonstrating a close race. 

If Brexit becomes a reality, the UK's post-referendum trajectory will depend on whether the
transitional period is a flexible but orderly exit carried out in a spirit of partnership with the EU,
or whether the split is acrimonious and messy, without properly tying up all the legal loose
ends. In a scenario in which pragmatism prevails over resentment, economic and financial
tensions could be limited by London and Brussels negotiating an amicable separation
agreement. However, broader political considerations, including the EU's desire to avoid further
 departures by making an example of the UK, might lead to a far more damaging outcome for all
parties.

Impact on the UK

Shortly after a vote to leave, the UK would probably trigger the voluntary withdrawal procedure
foreseen in the EU's 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which allows for a two-year period to reach a
separation agreement. Without such an agreement, the UK – which currently enjoys
unrestricted access to the rest of the EU under the Single Market rules – would revert to the
default trade arrangement with the EU, based on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. 

Under the latter scenario, the EU would apply its external customs duties to UK goods. It could
also introduce non-tariff hurdles for goods (such as technical standards) and especially services
(including licenses). Brussels would also be able to restrict London’s ability to conduct euro
transactions and euro-derivatives transactions, and thereby undermine the position of the city
as a financial centre. UK citizens could also lose their automatic right to work in the rest of EU.
What's more, the EU’s new external border would divide Northern Ireland from the rest of the
island and could thereby jeopardise the peace agreement.

Even in the event of a more amicable separation, there would still be multiple adverse impacts
on the UK. Regarding the economic impact, an overwhelming majority of
serious analyses from government, business organisations, think tanks and academia from
within the UK, as well as from the International Monetary Fund and Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, converge on the following propositions:

 Reduced EU market access. The UK’s access to the EU Single Market would be less
complete than under the status quo. All existing alternatives to EU membership have
drawbacks. The Norwegian model – membership in the European Economic Area – would
assure full market access, but is politically implausible for the UK since it would mean a loss
of sovereignty due to the need to accept EU legislation without being able to influence the
substance of the rules at the EU Council’s negotiating table. Switzerland's model of negotiating
multiple separate sectoral agreements with the EU is considered attractive by some Brexiteers,
but would simply not be on offer from the EU side. Indeed, the so-called ‘Swiss cheese’ model
has broken down over issues of immigration and is severely criticised by politicians and officials
in EU circles as ‘cherry-picking’. In addition, both Norway and Switzerland must allow free
movement of EU citizens, a primary concern of those in the Leave camp. The enhanced free-
trade arrangements like that recently agreed between the EU and Canada offer little under
services, which are a major portion of the UK economy.

 Damage to trade ties. The UK’s trade relationships with the rest of the world, beyond
membership in the WTO, would also be subject to huge uncertainties. All of the EU’s existing
preferential agreements with other countries around the world would cease to apply to the UK,
and it would be a long and messy process to reconstitute them on a bilateral basis. As for the
EU’s ongoing negotiations for new trade deals – for example with the United States, India, and
 Japan – the UK would not benefit from a faster inside track on these bilaterally. US President
Barack Obama and Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton have made it clear that the
UK would be sent to the ‘back of the queue’ for trade deals with the United States, an
indication of the potential damage to the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and the United
States.

 Risks to London. Domestically, the UK risks damaging all three of its economic ‘crown
jewels’, namely London’s position as a financial centre, its large services-sector trade with the
EU and its prime location as a destination for foreign direct investment aimed at the EU market.
The UK is already suffering a number of negative macroeconomic impacts as a result of the
uncertainty surrounding the referendum, including exchange rate depreciation and
dented business confidence.

Although the full extent of the economic impact depends on many factors, including the
eventual trade arrangement between the UK and the EU, most economists agree that it would
clearly be negative. Indeed, eager to avoid setting a precedent, EU member states more
inclined towards integration, such as Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg, would
likely seek to impose tough terms for the separation agreement with the UK.

Regarding the future of the UK itself, a Leave vote could lead to a prolonged period of political
instability. Politicians’ heads would roll, beginning with Prime Minister David Cameron, but also
including other leaders in the Tory party who campaigned against Brexit. The split in the
Conservative party would deepen, and new general elections might be called. Brexit could also
undermine UK unity by potentially triggering a fresh referendum over Scottish independence,
reinvigorating Welsh nationalism and dividing the more pro-EU London and southeast regions
against the more eurosceptic Midlands and north.

From an international perspective, there is not a single voice among the UK’s friends in Europe,
the Commonwealth or the world at large that supports the idea of Brexit. The EU has acted as a
‘multiplier’ for the UK’s foreign and security policy interests throughout the world, backed by
the weight of the EU’s Single Market and the wide range of EU foreign policy tools, as well as
its perceived neutrality. Secession would thus reverse that effect, reducing the UK's global
influence.

Impact on the EU

Some argue that Brexit would lead to the collapse of the EU, but this is highly unlikely. The web
of socioeconomic ties between the remaining member states has been woven so intricately and
deeply over the past six decades that Brexit would not unravel the fundamental post-World
War II order in Europe.

But unfortunately for the rest of the EU, the consequences of Brexit would not be limited to the
UK. Brexit would fan the flames of growing anti-EU sentiment in Europe, emboldening
nationalist and eurosceptic movements, and leading to a retreat from EU-level solutions to
 cross-border challenges. Brexit may also boost a new generation of nationalist leaders (most
likely in France, Hungary, and Poland) to copycat the ‘blackmail tactics’ employed by David
Cameron to obtain concessions from the rest of the EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
has already emulated these tactics by calling for a national referendum in the hope of obtaining
a popular mandate so as to better resist attempts by the European Commission to accept its
quota under a new refugee relocation scheme.

In addition, by removing a major power from the EU, Brexit would increase the already
dominant influence of Germany in the Union. This in turn could heighten tensions in countries
suspicious of Berlin – including France, where Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Front
party have gained strength ahead of the 2017 presidential elections. Germany and its like-
minded partners in the EU would nevertheless try to put the house together again with
renewed integration initiatives to counter the reputational damage of UK secession. Rhetorical
resolve would be immediately forthcoming, but real action would be delayed as Germany will
be caught up in its own national election in 2017.

How might Brexit impact on EU policies? There are four likely areas of change: the euro
currency system, the EU’s budget and liberalisation, the nexus of immigration and border
management and foreign and security policy more broadly.

 First, in the wake of a Brexit, there is a risk that the euro will depreciate. In the longer
run, however, the eurozone would have more power to drive economic and financial policy in
the EU. France, Germany and Italy all say they want to make the euro system more robust on
the fiscal side, but behind this simple statement lie profound disagreements, with Italy wanting
eurobonds, Germany blocking anything that smacks of a transfer union and France making
speeches about the need for an EU ‘finance minister’. Progress towards a capital markets union
would also continue, although at a slower pace and in a different direction from London’s
preferred approach. Some major US banks have already declared that they might relocate their
European branches from London to Europe.

 Second, without the UK, the EU budget would have to do without the UK’s €10.5
billion net annual contribution. This would certainly require a thorough review of budget
allocations and revive a debate about raising new resources for the EU. Also, the weight of the
‘economically liberal’ bloc in the EU (currently the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and
Estonia) would decline. Because of this, pundits have suggested that a post-Brexit EU would
probably become more protectionist, yet there has been a growing consensus across the Union
in favour of liberalising internal markets in goods, services and labour.

 Third, on the immigration front there is much to be done. The refugee crisis of the past
year has clearly demonstrated that the EU needs to move towards a centralised border control
and asylum mechanism. Although such momentous moves are unlikely in the foreseeable
future, the need for common action will only increase as migration pressure from Africa is
added to the current movements from the wider Middle East, creating an ever-bigger
challenge. At the same time, a Brexit would reduce the EU's ability to tackle cross-border
 organised crime and transnational terrorism, unless new coordination and cooperation
mechanisms can be established with the UK.

 Finally, foreign and security policy would perhaps be the least-fraught areas. It is
undeniable that Brexit would seriously threaten the EU’s global standing and soft power status,
its ability to play a greater role on global security issues and the likelihood of concluding the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal with the United Sates before the
end of President Obama’s term. On the other hand, EU decision-making without the historically
‘unruly’ UK would become simpler and lead to a more truly common Common Foreign and
Security Policy. Indeed, without the UK, there would be less opposition to the establishment of
a permanent structure for defence cooperation, with more pooling and sharing of capabilities,
more cooperation on defence planning and the creation of a single military headquarters in
Brussels.

Brexit would not only be bad for the UK, but would also be on balance bad for the EU. Both
parties could waste years negotiating a new relationship. At a time when the post-World War II
international order is under strain and Europe's societies are increasingly threatened by
protectionism, it is abundantly clear that the EU needs more than ever to be able to resolutely
face the big global challenges. But if the Remain vote prevails on June 23 rd, the EU could be
strengthened on multiple fronts – internally, through further liberalisation of the single market,
and externally, as a robust pillar of a liberal order in an increasingly hazardous and chaotic
world.

Steven Blockmans is Senior Research Fellow and Head of EU Foreign Policy at CEPS. Michael
Emerson is Associate Senior Research Fellow at CEPS. This commentary was originally prepared
as a Global Memo for publication by the Council of Councils
(www.cfr.org/councilofcouncils/global_memos/p37922).

CEPS Commentaries offer concise, policy-oriented insights into topical issues in European affairs.
The views expressed are attributable only to the authors in a personal capacity and not to any
institution with which they are associated.

Brexit Consequences for the U.K., the EU, and the United States

What Happens Next

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•••
BY 
KIMBERLY AMADEO
 
REVIEWED BY 
JANET BERRY-JOHNSON
 
Updated March 14, 2020

Brexit is the nickname for "British exit" from the European Union. The U.K. left the EU on Jan.
31, 2020.

The Brexit process began on June 23, 2016 when the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU.
The residents decided that the benefits of belonging to the unified monetary body no longer
outweighed the costs of free movement of immigration. The vote was 17.4 million in favor of
leaving versus 15.1 million who voted to remain.1

On March 29, 2017, former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May submitted the Article 50
withdrawal notification to the EU.2 On July 24, 2019, Boris Johnson replaced Theresa May as the
U.K.'s Prime Minister.3 Johnson’s Conservative party attained a majority during a royally
mandated general election on Dec. 12, 2019.4  

As a result, Brexit will conform to his Withdrawal Agreement. 5 On Jan. 23, 2020, the Agreement
Act received Royal Assent.2  This is the legislation that will implement the withdrawal agreement
negotiated by the UK and the EU.

Key Takeaways

 Brexit is the nickname for "British exit" from the EU. It occurred on Jan. 31, 2020.
 A new trade agreement could raise tariffs and cause inflation. 
 The cost of travel and communication could increase.
 The U.K. must pay billions in euros for its “divorce bill.
 Constraints on immigration could hurt the U.K.'s labor force. 
  The U.K. could lose Scotland, which may opt to join the EU.

Withdrawal Agreement Summary

Johnson’s agreement is very similar to the one negotiated by Theresa May. 3 One main
difference is that the U.K. would not be in a "customs union" with the EU. 3 That includes U.K.
member Northern Ireland. But it allows Northern Ireland to adopt EU customs rules in keeping
with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member. This avoids a hard border between the two.

There will be no Value-Added Tax (VAT) between the two Irish countries. 

That means there will be a customs and regulatory border between Great Britain and Northern
Ireland in the Irish Sea.3 That includes the VAT.

The EU and U.K. will negotiate a trade agreement that will probably impose tariffs on each
other's imports.6 This won’t apply to goods already purchased or in process.

The 3 million European nationals already living in the U.K. will continue to live and work in the
country without work visas.6 The 1.3 million U.K. citizens will continue to do the same in the EU.
For the future, the U.K. has proposed an immigration system based on workers’ skills.

The U.K. must pay a "divorce bill" of 33 billion pounds to fulfill any remaining financial
commitments.7

The EU and the U.K. must negotiate trade agreements by Nov. 26 for it to be approved by
Parliament in 2020.8 Otherwise, the U.K. must request an extension from the EU. If a trade deal
or extension is not completed in time, the U.K. will revert to the same tariffs with the EU as
other World Trade Organization members.

Consequences of Brexit for the U.K.

The U.K. has already suffered from Brexit. The economy has slowed, and many businesses have
moved their headquarters to the EU. Here are some of the impacts on growth, trade, and jobs.
There would also be consequences specific to Ireland, London, and Scotland.
Growth

Brexit's biggest disadvantage is its damage to the U.K.'s economic growth. Most of this has
been due to the uncertainty surrounding the final outcome.

Uncertainty over Brexit slowed the U.K.'s growth from 2.4% in 2015 to 1.5% in 2018. 9 The U.K.
government estimated that Brexit would lower the U.K.’s growth by 6.7% over 15 years. That’s
if there is a trade agreement but restrictions on immigration. 1 0  

The British pound fell from $1.48 on the day of the referendum to $1.36 the next day. That
helps exports but increases the prices of imports. The pound may strengthen once a deal is
approved, depending on the trade terms.1 1

Trade

Brexit would eliminate Britain's tariff-free trade status with the other EU members. Tariffs
would raise the cost of exports. That would hurt U.K. exporters as their goods become more
expensive in Europe. Some of that pain would be offset by a weaker pound.

Tariffs would also increase the prices of imports into the U.K. More than one-third of its imports
comes from the EU.1 2 Higher import prices would create inflation and lower the standard of
living for U.K. residents. The U.K. is already vulnerable because heat waves and droughts caused
by global warming have reduced local food production.1 3

The U.K. would lose the advantages of the EU’s state-of-the-art technologies. The EU grants
these to its members in environmental protection, research and development, and energy. 1 4

Also, U.K. companies could lose the ability to bid on public contracts in any EU country. These
are open to bidders from any member country. The most significant loss to London is in
services, especially banking. Practitioners would lose the ability to operate in all member
countries. It could raise the cost of airfares, the internet, and even phone services. 1 4
Jobs

Brexit would hurt Britain's younger workers. Germany is projected to have a labor shortage of 3
million skilled workers by 2030. 1 5 Those jobs will no longer be as readily available to the U.K.'s
workers after Brexit.

Employers are having a harder time finding applicants. 1 6 One reason is that the number of EU-
born workers fell by 95% in 2017. This has hit the low-skilled and medium-skilled occupations
the most. 

Ireland

Northern Ireland would remain with the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, with which it
shares a border, would stay a part of the EU. Johnson's plan avoided a customs border between
the two Irish countries.

A customs border could have reignited The Troubles. 1 7 It was a 30-year conflict in Northern
Ireland between mainly Catholic Irish nationalists and pro-British Protestants. In 1998, it ended
with the promise of no border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. A customs border would
have forced 9,500 commuters to go through customs on their way to and from work and
school.1 8 Brexit would also affect the 2,100 workers who commute to Great Britain.

London

Brexit has already depressed growth in The City, the U.K.'s financial center. 1 9 Growth was only
1.4% in 2018 and was close to zero in 2019. Brexit has diminished business investment by 11%. 

International companies would no longer use London as an English-speaking entry into the EU
economy.1 6 Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanly have already switched 10% of their
clients. Bank of America has transferred 100 bankers to its Dublin office and 400 to Paris. 1 9  
Scotland

Scotland voted against Brexit.2 0 The Scottish government believes that staying in the EU is the
best for Scotland and the U.K. It has been pushing the U.K. government to allow for a second
referendum. 

To leave the U.K., Scotland would have to call a referendum on independence. It could then
apply for EU membership on its own.2 1

The Brexit Vote

In summary, the Brexit vote imposed these three hard choices on the U.K.: 2 2

1. Leave with no deal, known as "no-deal Brexit." Without a trade agreement, ports would
be blocked and airlines grounded. In no time, imported food and drugs would run short.
2. Vote again on Brexit. Many argue that voters did not understand the economic
hardships that Brexit would impose. On December 10, 2018, the European Court of
Justice ruled that the U.K. could unilaterally revoke its Brexit application to remain in the
EU.2 3  
3. Approve a negotiated deal. The sticking point had been the nature of the border
between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and the EU’s Republic of Ireland. 3  

Consequences for the EU

The Brexit vote has strengthened anti-immigration parties throughout Europe. 1 6 If these parties
gain enough ground in France and Germany, they could force an anti-EU vote. If either of those
countries left, the EU would lose its most robust economies and would dissolve.

On the other hand, new polls show that the majority of EU citizens still strongly support the
Union.2 4 Almost 75% say the EU promotes peace, and 55% believe it supports prosperity. More
than a third see the role of the U.K. as diminishing. 

Consequences for the United States

Brexit is a vote against globalization. It takes the United Kingdom off the main stage of the
financial world. It creates uncertainty throughout the U.K. as The City seeks to keep its
international clients.

U.S. stability means London's loss could be New York's gain.  

The day after the Brexit vote, the currency markets were in turmoil. The euro fell 2% to $1.11.2 5
The pound fell 8% to $1.36. 1 1  Both increased the value of the dollar. That strength is not good
for U.S. stock markets. It makes American shares more expensive for foreign investors. 

A weak pound also makes U.S. exports to the U.K. more expensive. The United States has an
$18.9 billion trade surplus with the U.K. In 2018, it exported $141 billion while importing $122
billion.2 6 Brexit could turn this surplus into a deficit if a weak pound makes U.K. imports more
competitive.

Brexit dampens business growth for companies that operate in Europe. U.S. companies
invested $758 billion in the U.K. in 2018. 2 6 Most of this was the finance sector with some
manufacturing. These companies use the U.K. as the gateway to free trade with the EU nations.

U.K. businesses invested $561 billion in the United States. Brexit puts at risk jobs in both
countries. In addition, there were 716,000 U.K. immigrants in the United States and 215,000
U.S. immigrants in the U.K. in 2019.2 7

Brexit’s Causes

In 2015, the Conservative Party called for the referendum. 

Most of the pro-Brexit voters were older, working-class residents of England's countryside. 1
They were afraid of the free movement of immigrants and refugees. They claimed citizens of
poorer countries were taking jobs and benefits.

Small businesses were frustrated by EU fees. Others felt leaving the EU would create jobs.
Many felt the U.K. paid more into the EU that it received.
Those who voted to stay lived in London, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. 1 They liked free trade
with the EU. They claimed most EU immigrants were young and eager to work. Most felt that
leaving the EU would damage the U.K.’s global status.

THE ROLE OF UN IN MAINTENANCE OF PEACE IN ZAMBIA

Introduction:
United Nations peace operations are frequently mandated to assist in the reform, restructuring
and rebuilding of national law enforcement agencies in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Organizational structure of law enforcement agencies is frequently in disarray, with no
particular focus on service to the community at large, often resulting in enforcement agencies
losing their primacy in maintaining law and order.
The United Nations through the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) policies
defines and describes methodologies to conduct standardized practices of policing for United
Nations police officers (UNPOL) in their capacities as advisor's, mentors, trainers and monitors
in peace operations as they assist in the reform, restructuring and rebuilding of local law
enforcement agencies.
DPKO is the operational arm for all United Nations peacekeeping operations, and is responsible
for the conduct, management, direction, planning and preparation of those operations. It
develops plans and methodologies for peacekeeping operations (Office of Operations, Military
Division and Civil Police Division); secures, through negotiations with governments, the
personnel and equipment required for operations; provides logistical and administrative
support for operations and political or humanitarian missions; proposes resource requirements,
and monitors and controls funds related to peacekeeping activities.

 
Background
The history of peacekeeping in the Zambia Police Service dates back to 1989 when Zambia sent
50 Zambian Police officers to Namibia.
Over the years, the Zambia police service has continued to participate in peace support
operations numbering up to 13 missions worldwide; these are:
 1. United Nations Transition Assistant Group (UNTAG) Namibia
2. United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)
3. United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNMIT)
4. United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM)
5. United Nations Operations in Mozambique
6. United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR)
7. United Nations Mission of Observers in Angola (MONUA)
8. United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
9. United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone ( UNAMSIL)
10. United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
11. United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
12. United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
13. United Nations African Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID.
14. Individual police officers
15. Professionals (specialists)
16. Formed Police Unit
Current Contribution to Peacekeeping:
The total number of officers sent on peace support operations by the Zambia Police Service,
including those that are currently still in missions stands at 1615; the record of these men and
women has been outstanding in terms of performance and also in the enhancement of peace
processes bringing about stability in destabilised countries.
The UN police component of peace support operations has three categories of deployment:-
1. Individual police officers
2. Professionals (specialists)
3. Formed Police Unit

Zambian youth

As we celebrate Youth day, we saw it fit to praise the youth of Zambia. World over, the youth
have been the pillar and backbone of the nation, even from ancient times. The 2010 Zambia
Population Census shows that a large proportion of the Zambian population are in the youth
age range, and therefore Zambia fits to be deemed to have a young population, a youthful
population.

Being the majority, therefore brings with it power and responsibility upon those that yield it.
Youths can change the future of the society they live in, define the future they wish to live in,
and can do so with their courageous behaviour and steadfastness even in the face of hardship.

In 2011, the youth of our nation, tired and worn-out by the burdens of poverty, disease,
hunger, starvation, corruption and unemployment, perceived and real, which characterised the
most part of the MMD’s 20 year reign, stood together and showed the entire world the power
which they possessed and chose a leadership which was expected to address the burdensome
concerns of the previous 20 years.

Unfortunately, even today, many of our youth are still faced with the same troubles, trials and
tribulations of the past, even more so. However,the high expectations leading to 2011 have
been met with deaf responses, and the Zambian youth today continues to break stones along
Kafue road to earn a living.

Access to proper health care and education remains elusive, and in such a harsh environment,
the lone abandoned youth builds interest in places and ideals which may lead to self-
destruction, and find themselves in places not useful to them as well as nation development.

Dreams
A passerby helps a Lusaka youth lift an intoxicated colleague along Ibex Hills road on
Independence Day
The Zambian youth, after a struggled day may take solace in binge alcohol drinking; spend
nights partying, drinking, and make headlines for the Weekend Porn Newspaper.

But let it be known, this is not our ideal path in life, we wish better for ourselves. To the older
generation, however, this is perceived to be a lack of morals among the youth, a lack of vision
and lack of dreams, and a lack of self-drive. We strongly deny this, for if we the Zambian youths
did not have dreams, ambitions, drive, and good expectations for ourselves, we would not have
voted MMD out of power, we would have assumed all was well and life would have gone on.
Our dreams and ambitions for a better life ignited the desire which saw the PF come to power.
And likewise, once the youths’ ambitions and desires are not met, the fate of 2011 to MMD
may be the only feasible option among all to PF in 2016.

We believe that the vision of our country lies in the hands of our youth and thus cannot be
formulated without their participation or representation. Our Zambian youth are filled with
remarkable and enormous ambitions. It will be a great wastage of human resources if these
youths are not given an opportunity to exercise their talent in the development of this country
and shape the future of our society.
Fear the Tiger cub

Unfortunately, a large number of our youths are without proper guidance and opportunities for
their future. Many roam the streets in search of a living, others, living on the streets. If you take
a drive or walk to Manda Hill Bridge or ZESCO Bridge in the evenings, you will see the other side
of our society: Young energetic Zambians sentenced to permanent suffering, abandoned and
seemingly ignored by the very country and its leaders they have hope in. These will grow to be
men and women, but let us ask, of what calibre? Remember, ‘Fear the Tiger cub, though young,
it will grow, and when it does, chaos may arise’. It is thus dangerous to allow our youths and
street kids to remain idle as it would increase their frustration which would result in chaos and
disturbances in the future.

There is a strong and dire need for succession planning with regards the affairs of our nation,
and all our affairs. The role of the youth in national development is becoming able to replace
the older generation as they age. This means the youth should be given the opportunity of a
relevant education, and employment opportunities, in both public and private sector, to gain
the relevant experience. This is the only way we can be preparing our nation for the future
generation. With that in mind, it is important to note that this nation will outlive all of us, and it
is our responsibility to prepare those that will pass it on to their youths when we are long gone.
We must look beyond individual legacies, and develop a broader national vision, a national
legacy.

The youth have a choice

While our youths had in the past been used as frontline soldiers in our politicians’ quests for
power, there seem to have been a neglect of the youths’ services once such take the wheels of
power. History has shown that this can only be done at their own peril, as the real power still
lies with the youths. But there is also a need for an awakening realisation among the youths
with regards the enormous power they have. They must get control of this power and use it for
their betterment. The government must on the other hand must motivate our youth. Rights and
responsibility must be taught alongside national goal setting.

Many a time we have instilled fear among ourselves, either consciously or unconsciously of our
perceived inferiority of our experience in our eyes, or indeed perhaps more in the eyes of
others of the older generation that may not have taken us much seriously in our quest for a
better youthful Zambia. We have a choice, however: We can allow yourselves to stay our
current unhappy course and do nothing, for fear of being fixed, or we can rise above what the
pessimists around us expect and show the older generation that they are wrong about us. Let
them know we have intelligence and high skills. Let us show ourselves what we are made of
with motivation, dedication and unyielding resolve for that which is just. Let us have in mind
that nothing can happen if we do not try.
The entire success of the nation depends on the youths. However, in order for continuous
success to take place; it is the Government’s responsibility to provide the youth with proper
facilities for getting equipped with the knowledge of the modern era.
Youth is the spring of life. It is the age of discovery and dreams. They have the power to
transform the nation into a better place. Let us not forget to say that while the government
ought to provide ‘rights’ for the youths to flourish, youths too have a responsibility. For some
unknown reasons, youths have underplayed themselves in the field of the politics yet they are
strongest forces in social movements. As long as the youth, who are the most educated
continue to shun politics and public life, the old, and seemingly uneducated will continue to
govern the country and decide what is good for youths!
Let there be no doubt about the strength, power and capabilities of the Zambian youth Let us
determine our own course of destiny.
Happy Youth Day.

Last Sunday, we discussed government’s responsibilities towards its citizens.

This Sunday we look at citizens’ responsibilities towards nation building and development.
What is the role of citizens in as far as nation building and development is concerned in a
democratic country like ours?

Apart from enjoying entitlements as citizens, they have responsibilities too. In Zambia, the
responsibilities of citizens are enshrined in the Constitution. Article 43 (1) of the Constitution
(Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016 states that a Zambian citizen shall:

(a) Be patriotic to Zambia and promote its development and good image;

(b) Pay taxes and duties lawfully due and owing to the State;

(c) Protect and conserve the environment and utilise natural resources in a sustainable manner;
(d) Maintain a clean and healthy environment;

(e) Provide national, defence and military service when called upon by the State; and

(f) Co-operate with law enforcement agencies for the maintenance and enforcement of law and
order.

(2) A citizen shall endeavour to:

(a) Acquire basic understanding of the Constitution and promote its ideals and objectives;

(b) Register and vote, if eligible, in national and local government elections and referenda;

(c) Develop one’s abilities to the greatest possible extent through acquisition of knowledge,
continuous learning and the development of skills;

(d) Foster national unity and live in harmony with others; and

(e) Understand and enhance Zambia’s place in the international community.

This Article in our Constitution must interest every patriotic citizen because it contains
interesting provisions. It contains our written responsibilities as citizens. I am sure some
Zambians may be seeing the provisions for the first time because very few citizens take time to
read the provisions of the Constitution. It is important that we understand our responsibilities
as citizens. We ought to understand our role in the development agenda of our country.
Remember, in an ideal democratic country, it is citizens that are supposed to govern.

It is every Zambian citizen’s responsibility to be patriotic to Zambia and promote its

development and good image. Patriotism refers to a citizen’s unquestionable loyalty to his or
her country. It is more than singing the national anthem passionately while standing at
attention or wearing national colours at public events.

It is about being what Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, and Harry Mwaanga
Nkumbula were to Zambia. It is about loving your country to a level of being ready to die for its
sake. It is about putting the interests of Zambia first no matter the circumstances. It is about
sacrificing for mother Zambia. It includes denying yourself certain enjoyments and privileges
today so that you can have more in the future and for generations to come. It is about long-
term benefits and not short-term benefits. Patriotism is about selflessness.

If you are a Zambian citizen and have been voting for community leaders and political leaders
after receiving a K100, after receiving a chitenge material, a T- shirt, salt, and cooking oil then
know that you are not a patriotic Zambian citizen. The same goes to those who distribute those
materials during political rallies and election time. It is irresponsible for citizens to behave in
such a manner and expect nation building and development. This behaviour is about short –
term benefits which do not benefit the nation at large.
It is citizens’ responsibilities to take part in civic duties of the country. But citizens have a noble
duty to promote good governance and democratic tenets. And this is only attainable and
possible when citizens demand a State where there is respect for the rule of law, justice and
moral values which lead to the common good for all.

It is the responsibility of every Zambian citizen to endeavour to develop his abilities to the
greatest possible extent through acquisition of knowledge, continuous learning and the
development of skills. Every citizen must strive to learn to read and write.

Literacy comes with many advantages in the fight against poverty. Literacy improves health of
citizens, literacy promotes “lifelong learning” and builds skills, literacy improves the economy
and creates jobs, literacy promotes gender equality, literacy promotes democracy and peace,
and literacy builds self-esteem and overall quality of life.

As Zambian citizens, we must always bear in mind that there is no society that has ever
developed with an illiterate citizenry. Being able to read and write has an intrinsic value for
citizens’ participation in national matters. It is a catalyst for further development; it encourages
a sense of responsibility; guarantees that citizens will be involved in decision making; ensures
that things are done the right way; there is use of valuable indigenous knowledge; and frees
citizens from dependence on others’ skills.

As citizens, we have a moral responsibility towards the environment simply because we share
the earth with many other creatures and so, they also have certain rights and some share in
those resources. It is therefore our responsibility as citizens to ensure that we protect and
conserve the environment and utilise natural resources in a sustainable manner while
maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

As citizens, we must always pay special attention to the safety and quality of water we
consume. We must ensure that we have access to safe toilets to avoid exposure to excreta
bacterial infections which may result into a public health crisis. The right to a safe, healthy and
ecologically-balanced environment is a human right issue, but everyone must contribute to
living in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being.

Being environmentally friendly and responsible is becoming more and more important, for
example, eco-friendly products promote green living that help conserve energy and also
prevent air, water and noise pollution. They prove to be boon for the environment and also
prevent human health from deterioration. They contribute to improved air quality, climate
change, improved water quality, and biodiversity and habitat protection. Let us always promote
the use of reusable bags, reusable beverage containers etc. This way, we shall be saving water
and electricity.

Zambian citizens are known for their peace and unity at all times. Citizens work freely and
happily in any part of the country. Lozis work freely in Bemba land, Bembas work freely in
Tonga land, Ngonis work freely in Lamba land and Luvales and Kaondes work freely anywhere
as long as it is in Zambia. It therefore remains citizens’ core responsibility to continue fostering
national unity and living in harmony with others. Anyone propagating politics of “divide and
rule” should be disciplined and side-lined using available legal means. Citizens must fight the
growing culture of selfishness and greed and the flourishing tribalism. Peace and Unity remain
integral pillars for the development of any society. Zambia’s oneness and cohesion are key for
spurring national development.

Zambian citizens must ensure there is equal distribution of development and national
resources. Citizens have a responsibility to ensure scarce public resources are not wasted on
politics and corruption. Citizens have a duty to see to it that public funds are not used for
fighting one another politically and creating unnecessary political enemies in the country.
Citizens must stand up and ensure that the available meagre resources are not wasted on man
– made by-elections, and on buying and corrupting citizens for political survival.

The primary duty of any government is to protect and defend its citizens. But the best defended
country is one where every citizen is a warrior and ready to defend his territory, property and
life. It remains the duty of citizens to ensure they live in safe and secure communities. It is the
responsibility of every Zambian citizen to always co-operate with law enforcement agencies for
the maintenance and enforcement of law and order. Citizens have a role to play in ensuring
that there is no political violence perpetrated by cadres or law enforcement agencies. Peace
must become the order of the day because without peace in our communities, we must forget
about any meaningful development.

As citizens, we deserve respect from our leaders. It is our responsibility to demand respect from
our servants because we are the bosses. Our mandate as citizens is very clear, let us all play our
part and help build our nation.