The MFG's education activities, programs and resources have been developed to provide an integrated, multi-faceted approach to environmental education needs in the Toamasina region. Our methods have developed from two decades of direct input and experience working with local school associations, teachers, parents and community leaders.

In the early years  the MFG's work was primarily focused on raising local and tourists' environmental awareness through the Zoo's animal exhibits and associated interpretives.  As the MFG became more integrated into the community, strong ties were built with the region's schools.  An important collaboration began when the MFG worked with local educators to develop a guide for primary school teachers that integrated environmental messages into the national curriculum.  In 1996 the MFG initiated an education program called the " Saturday School" that was held at Parc Ivoloina's Environmental Education Center. The aim of the program was to give local primary school children intensive tutoring in core curricula subjects to enable them to graduate to secondary school.  The program has been so successful that additional schools have been established to serve children in the communities surrounding Betampona National Reserve.