The Environment Friendly 1000 Schools Project was introduced to the public at a ceremony attended by the Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer and the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum.
Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer thanked the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum for his support to the project in the promotional program of the “Thousand Environment-Friendly Schools Project” held at OSTİM Primary School.
Reminding that they, as the Ministry of National Education, were involved in the process of releasing the caretta carettas to the sea at the 9nd Conference of the Parties (COP2021) of the Convention on the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution held in Antalya on 22 December 22, Özer said:
“We had the opportunity to discuss a lot of issues there. We had the opportunity to take a step towards environmental awareness very quickly. We took the first step towards this in the 'environmental education' course, which has been taught as an elective course in 2015th and 7th grades since 8. First, we updated the curriculum and changed the name of the course to 'environmental education and climate change'. In addition to 7th and 8th grades, we have included 6th grades as an elective course. In the Teacher Information Network (ÖBA), which we developed as a second step for teachers to complete their education with a distance education platform, we gave our teachers training on environmental education and climate change for the first time in the mid-term break of 2021-2022. Our Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change contributed greatly to the creation of its content. Although it is not compulsory, nearly 100 thousand teachers attended these trainings.”
Solar panels and rainwater storage units will be installed in schools
Minister Özer stated that they continue their cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change with the Environment-Friendly 1000 Schools Project and said, “As the Ministry of National Education, we have launched the 'Environmentally Friendly 1000 Schools Project', a sub-project under the umbrella of 'Clean Schools and Clean Energy'. We are putting it into practice. In this context, first of all, we determined a thousand schools, at least one in all districts. Our target here is not limited to 1000 schools. We wanted to have at least one school that implements environmentally friendly practices in all points of Turkey and carries all the examples within its body. Our goal is to make all of our 1000 schools environmentally friendly schools, starting with 57 schools. For him, although this may seem like a very humble beginning, his ultimate goal covers our entire education system.” said.
Explaining that solar energy panels and rain water storage units will be installed in all schools within the scope of the project, Özer said: “Rain water will be used in the gardens and different places of the schools. In addition, the libraries we have established in all of our 1000 schools will be transformed into zero waste libraries. So our students will experience with their teachers how unused materials are recycled in their homes or schools and will face its applications. Again, organic wastes in cafeterias and canteens will be turned into fertilizer with a compost machine. Our children will grow plants in school gardens with these. It will transform our schools into environmentally friendly schools where a zero-waste culture is widespread. Within the scope of the project, with the support of our Ministry, all the administrators and teachers of 1000 schools will be given continuous training on environmental awareness and climate change. I believe that this project is a very valuable project for our country.”
In his speech, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum said that they have taken very valuable steps that concern children of all ages in the fight against climate change with the Ministry of National Education. Minister Kurum stated that renewing the "Environmental Education" course taught in the 7th and 8th grades as a course compatible with climate change, and changing the name of the elective courses to "Environmental Education and Climate Change" is an important step.
Expressing that it is also important to carry out the Environmentally Friendly School Project in order to start environmental education in primary school, the Institution noted that future generations will receive education in much better conditions and live in a better environment. The institution stated that they have set a net zero emission target within the scope of combating climate change, which causes many natural events in the world, and that they will continue to fight on this issue, which concerns all professions.
Murat Kurum said, “This project is a very special, very important and meaningful project that will contribute to raising environmental and nature awareness in our children. With the project, a total of 1000 schools, including at least one in each district, will be environment-friendly, climate-friendly and zero-waste compatible. Our OSTİM Primary School will be one of the most successful examples of these 1000 schools.” made its assessment.
Noting that the Zero Waste Project, which is carried out under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan, is among the very important projects both in the local and national arena, in raising environmental awareness and especially in transferring it to children. Zero Waste Project, which is an environmental movement, has become a global environmental movement spreading to the world from the vast experience of Anatolia.” he said.
Stating that the Zero Waste Project, which was deemed worthy of many awards in the international arena, received the UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Award last year, and was the first among hundreds of projects in the 16th General Assembly of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the Institution said, “This great movement will bring in 15 million dollars. It has turned into Turkey's largest zero-waste education campaign that reached our young people.” said.
Minister Kurum stated that by 2023, the Zero Waste Project will be fully implemented in all public institutions and organizations, and stated that their aim is to leave a clean Turkey and a clean world to children.
“We will be in the top 10 in the GreenMetric program”
Stating that they do not only educate children, they also give them important tasks, and in this context, environmental inspectors, the little defenders of the environment and nature, "work like bees", and stated that they have identified young climate ambassadors from 209 universities, and that these young people have rolled up their sleeves in their universities to combat climate change.
Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, continued his words as follows: “We will be in the top 10 in the GreenMetric program, which votes the world's climate-friendly universities. Every year, we will ensure that at least one of our universities is on that list. With this goal, our 1 universities, our teachers and students are working hard at the moment. We implement a new project every day in order to raise awareness for our youth, children, zero waste, environmental and nature awareness, and climate change. I want to give good news to our children and families. We are soon opening the first 'Environment and Children's Academy' in our country that will provide education in the digital environment. With this academy, where rich videos and animations will take place, our children will not only have fun but also learn about zero waste, the environment, nature and climate, through movies and online lessons. This platform, which will be in the format of a digital university, will include Zero Waste, Environment, Urbanism, Climate Change, Nature and Art, Environment and Communication Academies, Climate Ambassadors and Environmental Inspectors Clubs for our children. With the EBA integration, the platform, accessible to our 209 million students, will offer our children a very rich content that is constantly renewed.”
The institution thanked Emine Erdoğan, Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer and everyone who contributed to the Environment Friendly Thousand Schools Project.
After the speeches, Minister Özer and Minister Kurum examined the compost machine and zero waste library in the school.
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