TEHRAN – Three provinces across the country will soon have green schools, Darioush Varnaseri, deputy director of the organization for school renovation, development and equipment, has stated.

Green schools, also known as eco-schools, bring a range of benefits, including waste management, waste reduction, biodiversity, energy, water, transport, health, global sustainability, healthy nutrition, citizenship and climate change. Countries considering their own socioeconomic and cultural characteristics must be able to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances.

“Green schools will be built in three provinces of Tehran, Qazvin, and Sistan-Baluchestan,” Varnaseri said, ISNA reported on Sunday.

Green school criteria are being developed within the next month, which consider socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the regions to adapt these criteria into their own particular circumstances, he explained.

Last year, special working groups were formed to address green school criteria and piloted some plans in this regard, he added.

Three issues of green schools, education, and research have been put into action so far, he noted, adding that the issues are being conducted in seven provinces of Tehran, Zanjan, Qazvin, Sistan-Baluchestan, Khuzestan, Fars, and West Azarbaijan.

He went on to highlight that education is a priority in order to ultimately be able to operate green schools in all provinces; at the same time, the green schools are being constructed in Tehran, as well as in Sistan-Baluchestan and Qazvin.

Varnaseri stated that the newly constructed schools should initially implement green school scheme which is being prepared and finalized by the next month. “Under-construction schools or existing schools also must employ green school criteria, which we are looking for a way to do.”

He expressed hope that other provinces would quickly join the plan, adding, all 31 provinces should adopt the green school standards whether in one or all three aspects.

Referring to green management as a new method, he noted that it must have difficulties or barriers on its way, “but we will try hard to solve the problems and implement it properly.”

To do this, many training course are being held by the organization for school renovation, development and equipment, in addition to organizing national green management conference to be held by the end of this year (March 2020).

How can green management benefit us?

Green Management is an initiative aiming at continuously improving the foundation of environmental management, such as the development of personnel responsible for environmental activities, environmental management systems, and environmental communication as well as conservation of biodiversity.

As long as current environmental problems are rooted in the lack of proper awareness and cultural weakness regarding the relationship between man and nature. Under such circumstances, environmental issues have only belatedly been recognized in school activities worldwide which can be effective in the forming people’s approach toward environment from their childhood. 

Effective school programs should not only help students to progress the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for responsible environmental behavior, but also have the potential to spread awareness of the concept.

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