Find out how many schools are now part of this much needed initiative
Hey there, eco-warriors! In 2023, a whopping 314 schools – both government and private – jumped on board the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi’s (EAD) Sustainable Schools Initiative (SSI).
This awesome programme, launched by the EAD back in 2009, is all about making sustainability cool and practical for students.
The SSI isn’t just about talking the talk; it’s about walking the walk.
Schools participating in the initiative are teaching students how to measure their environmental impact, inspiring them to drive change, and empowering them to be future sustainability leaders.
To date, 552 schools have joined, educating a massive 344,384 students!
Among these eco-conscious schools, 153 have already assessed their environmental footprint.
And guess what? 29,700 students have taken their green mission into the community through the Eco-club initiative.
That’s some serious eco-love!
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Field trips are a big hit too.
A huge 213,469 students have had hands-on experiences with nature, thanks to EAD’s training and resource materials provided to 4,646 teachers.
Plus, 32,000 curious visitors learned about SSI at COP28 in Dubai. How cool is that?
Ahmed Baharoon, EAD’s Executive Director, is super proud of these achievements. He shared how EAD has been ramping up efforts to get schools on board. In 2023 alone, they signed up 314 new schools, bringing the grand total to 552.
The excitement around sustainability is palpable!
The initiative doesn’t stop there.
EAD has introduced a Green Stars accreditation system to rate schools based on their green efforts.
This system aims to motivate more schools to dive into environmental projects and encourage students to get passionate about sustainability.
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SSI’s impressive work hasn’t gone unnoticed. It bagged the Green Middle East Award for Best Environmental Awareness and Education Project in 2013.
By 2015, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called SSI an innovative model for sustainable education, recommending it globally.
In 2017, the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) spotlighted SSI as a stellar case study in environmental education.
This recognition aligns perfectly with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Greening Education Partnership strategy, working in tandem with the Ministry of Education.
So, if your school isn’t part of SSI yet, what are you waiting for? Join the green wave and be a part of the sustainability movement by heading to ead.gov.ae today!
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