From the first day of the coming school year, starting September 23, a total of 60 environment schools will begin their work, stated the director general of education and public participation office at the Department of Environment (DoE), Mohamad Darvish.
Speaking with Mehr News agency, he said that the schools will be established in 5 regions of the country with different climates: Tourani, Hirkani, Arasbarani, Zagros, and the Persian Gulf and Uman climates. Each region will have 10 schools in different levels of primary, junior high, and high school; Half of the schools for boys and the other half will offer educational services to girls. The remaining 10 schools will be in Tehran.
Darvish noted that the environment schools, also called JAM schools in Farsi, will start their services in the next school year. The results of assessments and evaluation of these schools within the next 10 years – the pilot phase – may lead to transforming all the country’s schools to JAM schools.
“JAM schools are eco-friendly, and are designed to conserve energy and reduce water loss and paper waste,” Darvish said, adding that the schools will rely on renewable energy sources.
Working groups for recycling wastes will be formed and half-day tours will be conducted weekly for students to experience close contact with nature.
Students who choose to study in JAM schools will gain a deep understanding of ecological processes and will become environmentally aware, according to Darvish.
JAM school students will have 9 years of indirect environmental studies and the 10th year will be allocated to specific academic study in the field, he explained, hoping that raising awareness towards the environment through education will gradually result in resolving environmental issues in the country.
