SIX St Francis of the Fields primary school students yesterday had the honour of opening the school’s new environment learning centre.Principal Tim Moloney said the self-funded centre also received a grant of $200,000 from Catholic Education Sandhurst Bendigo.Mr Moloney said the new facility would help educate the school’s 365 students in environmental principles and ideals.Environmental education co-ordinator Grant Shannon said the learning facility would help staff incorporate maths, literacy and religion into the students’ studies on the environment.“It’s all about a big shift in the way we approach environmental education,” Mr Shannon said.“Students in the past had a 45-minute lesson once a week.“But in the new model, classes go down to the environmental learning centre for five-week blocks.”Mr Shannon said this would help students realise the importance of sustaining the environment.Students would be responsible for caring for the school’s vegie garden and animals. There would also be more opportunities for members of the school’s environmental action team - an extra-curricular activity that the school offers.The school has received $2.5 million as part of the Federal Government’s education revolution. It will go towards a multi-purpose learning centre, library, stage and other facilities.