Ecological competence as a compulsory component of school geographical education and examples of its application in Khust raion of Zakarpatska oblast
Authors: Dobynda Iryna , Denchilya Anna 
Published: February 2022

Lack of education is one of the biggest obstacles to any development, environmental education is no exception. If people do not know what is harmful to the environment, they cannot recognise and avoid such harm. School plays a crucial role in forming a positive attitude towards the environment in young children. The development of effective environmental policies in all schools should be considered in order to promote environmental awareness among students and ensure their environmental awareness in adult life.
Due to the irrational use of natural resources and thoughtless human activities, humanity faces several environmental problems, such as global warming, the greenhouse effect, ozone holes, acid rains, pollution of air and the oceans. Effective environmental education can prevent overuse and misuse of resources that nature cannot compensate. The world's growing population has created the biggest problem that hinders the rational use of scarce resources. Of course, protecting the environment does not mean not using it. Geography can help in solving precisely these issues in the environmental education field.
The international study examined the views of geography academics on the goals of environmental education and their status in the teaching of geography. The results of the survey obtained from 419 geography teachers from 18 countries showed that geography teachers believe that most of the content they embed in their professional activities is environmental education. They said they support the idea of environmental education as part of the curriculum. Geography teachers unequivocally support the inclusion of environmental education in the geography curriculum, and in most cases, they believe that at least half of the geography curriculum should focus on this. They assume that learning about environmental knowledge, attitudes, values, and responsible environmental behaviour is one of the mandatory learning outcomes in natural sciences, including geography, and is more willing to promote environmental ethics.
Environmental education plays a priority role in secondary school, especially in the educational process of the middle grades, but begins in elementary school in natural science class. On-time updates of all components of the educational process of the school (goals, content, technology, etc.), ensure the development and formation of students' environmental competence. The purpose of environmental education should aim for the establishment of personal environmental awareness, the desire to take responsibility for their actions concerning the environment, the schooling of environmentally conscious behaviour, knowledge of civil rights and duties. It is crucial to create conditions in the school and family for students to be aware of the practical significance of environmental skills, show interest in and acquire skills and prepare for creative activities in the environmental field.
The study of protected areas and sites of the native land contributes to the formation of environmental competence of students in school and can ensure that the acquired knowledge will be a means of understanding natural processes and phenomena.
The study of protected areas helps students understand the diversity and integrity of the nature of the motherland, the vulnerability of natural objects, their dependence on the behaviour of humans, armed with modern technical means of influencing nature. When children witness the consequences of human mismanagement, they become aware of the extent of the damage to the natural environment, and therefore they aspire to help it.
The cooperation between the institutions of the nature reserve fund with educational institutions provides extraordinary opportunities for the formation and development of crucial environmental competencies of students.