In 2001, our Chumbe Education Program developed to the extent that a module on "The Coral Reef", produced by CHICOP, was recognised by the Ministry of Education as an official teaching aid. The program was expanded to encompass Teacher Training workshops and evaluation seminars, where teachers were trained to link learning experiences with the Science syllabi in particular.

Since 2004 CHICOP has increased its outreach work within schools, which has so far proven to be extremely successful.  Not only have schools fully participated in the field excursions but have also shown great enthusiasm to undertake more field based, hands-on, extra-curricular learning back at the schools. One school in particular, Chukwani Secondary School (located directly opposite Chumbe island), has developed an Environment and Coral Reef Club as part of their participation in the Chumbe Island Education Programme.  The school has created an ‘environment day’ which takes place every Monday where students participate in environment related activities, e.g. litter picking, tree planting, composing songs and poems, designing posters, etc. CHICOP and the Ministry of Education will be working together to promote the development of Environment and Coral Clubs in all schools involved in the Chumbe programme, using Chukwani School as an excellent example.

Working with the Ministry, CHICOP is now developing modules following the initial format of "The Coral Reef Module" for subjects ranging from "Eco-tourism" to "Biodiversity, "Eco-technology" and "Conservation".  These modules are then being put together to form a teaching resource, available for all Secondary School teachers in Zanzibar, to advise and provide information about field based education with the ultimate aim to produce a Course Manual of exemplar teaching modules.  This will give teachers and students a concrete model on how to make classroom teaching more relevant to the environment, and create awareness on coral reefs and coral island ecology that is badly needed in Zanzibar.

The Chumbe Education Program is now leading within environmental education in Zanzibar. The teacher training college incorporates classes on Chumbe for all trainee teachers in Zanzibar each year, and representatives from the Ministry of Education are encouraging teachers to introduce environmental education through fieldwork. This initiative has been developed and campaigned for by CHICOP with exceptional results in creating a niche for field based learning and environmental awareness within the education system of Zanzibar. Start up phases received support from the Marine Education, Awareness and Biodiversity Program (MEAB WWF, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and the US-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Various developing components within the overall program continue to be supported by International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) and, the South African Development Cooperation - Reef Environmental Education Program (SADC-REEP)