Environmental Education Living with the Semi-Arid: Shares Developed by the Secretariat of Education of Ceará State

Abstract

Environmental Education actions, developed by the State of Ceará Department of Education [SEDUC], have contributed to a better coexistence with the semiarid region, main objective of this study. There are several problems faced by local communities attempting to live in the region, such as irregular rainfall patterns. In this context, the paper assumes that SEDUC environmental education policies diverge from the reality of the region. So, programs and projects intended to deal with the problems faced by semiarid regions, specifically in the State of Ceará, have to present a clear proposal for environmental education in a process of formation of the citizen. Methodologically, it is an exploratory research based on official design documents. The main interest for the subject arose from the perception that a contextualized environmental education improves quality of life in semiarid regions. This can be made by an interconnected approach taking into account the main characteristics of local communities and their environment that can produce specific instructions for educational practices that can turn the region more aware of the possible damage caused by immediate and inadequate decisions and policies.