1. Problems - from audit observation -
1-1 Financial aspect
The whole running cost of MIYAKO ecology center is from Environmental agency at Kyoto city government.
Budgets for MIYAKO ecology center in 2004 is 180,103,000 yen1). It was reduced from one in 2003 (192,056,000 yen) for almost 10,000,000 yen1). MIYAKO ecology center is operated by Kyoto city environmental program association, which is an extra-governmental body of Kyoto city2). So there is a problem that, in fact, the Kyoto city government is poking its nose too much into the management of MIYAKO ecology center, environmental NGO members in Kyoto say. Financially backed up by the Kyoto city government, it cannot operate work projects which are against the Kyoto city governmental views (for example, projects in which governments have to take risks),
but are really necessary for expansion of environmental education. One of environmental NGO in Kyoto city, Kankyoshimin, criticized that work projects in MIYAKO ecology center are not on the cutting edge of environmental education.
They told me what is urgently necessary in today’s environmental education. I’ll put good and bad programs or institutions in environmental education, which environmental NGOs in Kyoto mentioned. By comparing such examples, I’ll mention later as to where to be improved in present MIYAKO ecology center’s management.
【What is a Bad Program or Institution in Environmental Education】
・One which is entirely focused on describing environmental problems.
・One which is centered completely on having a contact with nature.