In line with the government’s push for raising an environment-friendly generation, 60 environmental schools are scheduled to open this year on September 23.
Establishing environmental schools is a response to society’s demand by the Department of Environment, said DOE’s director of Education and Public Participation Office, Mohammad Darvish.
“Environmental schools aim to raise awareness among youth toward their obligations to protect and preserve ecosystems and natural resources. Learning about ecosystems, especially one they live in, is necessary for students,” IRNA quoted Darvish as saying.
Following 18 months of research, discussions and seminars, a group comprising representatives of DOE, Ministry of Education and environmental NGOs helped compile and approve the guidelines for environmental schools—called JAM schools in Persian.
The document has been sent to Education Ministry for implementation and Massoumeh Ebtekar, the head of DOE, has asked the ministry for the speedy implementation of the guidelines.
Darvish said JAM schools are the result of interaction and synergy between three institutions: DoE, Education Ministry and environmental NGOs.
The environmental schools are located in five regions of the country with different climates.
Each region hosts 10 schools at different levels of primary, elementary and high school; the schools will equally serve both girls and boys. The remaining 10 schools are in Tehran.
All the schools across the country may adopt JAM school guidelines and curricula, if the results of the pilot phase are successful.
JAM schools are designed to help conserve energy, reduce water loss and curtail paper waste. The schools will rely on renewable energy sources.
Students will spend nine years of indirect environmental studies and one final year (10th year) on specialized academic study in the field.
