TEHRAN — Iran’s Department of Environment (DoE) is planning on fostering environmental consciousness among students at schools and universities, ISNA quoted DoE chief Masoumeh Ebtekar as saying on Tuesday.

Curriculum becoming environment-oriented 

There are 60 textbooks in school curriculums with environmental issues highlighted in them and a book titled “Human and the Environment” with environmental content is now finished and available for the upcoming school year starting from September 22, 2016, Ebtekar explained.

Initiating green management

Mentioning the Education Ministry’s active cooperation with the DoE, Ebtekar pointed that all the schools nationwide are required to initiate green management and encourage students’ participation in environmental fields as well as raise awareness among teachers.

16 environmental schools which facilitate children’s better appreciation of the environment are also operating in the country and the private sector and the public are backing them up willingly, she added.

She also commented on the Science Ministry and the DoE joint activities, noting that universities will also be required to take up the green management soon, adding, currently some of the universities have taken action on the green management and formed some eco-friendly NGOs so far.

Each school, one ranger

The DoE chief also explained a new plan proposed to the Education Ministry based on which each school located in rural districts adjacent to the protected areas will be given a ranger who will introduce the rangers’ job description and their role (in protecting the environment) to the students.

MQ/MG