48 schools ignite the sustainability race… “My Green Environment, My Future” turns schools into innovation platforms

The head of the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Aisha Rashid Dimas, revealed that 48 schools from various educational levels succeeded in embodying sustainability in the educational field during their participation in the third session of the “My Green Environment, My Future” initiative, including 8 kindergartens, 11 schools for the first cycle, 13 for the second cycle, and 16 schools for the secondary stage, in an indicator that reflects the growing interest in integrating the concepts of sustainability within the educational environment and translating them into applied projects that have an actual impact on students and society.

This came during the closing ceremony organized by the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority at the Al Dhaid Wildlife Museum, in the presence of officials and partners, where innovative models within the initiative were reviewed that linked education to practical application through activities appropriate for various educational levels.

Effective partnerships

Aisha Rashid Dimas told Emirates Today that the “My Green Environment, My Future” initiative is based on building effective partnerships with official and educational bodies, led by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Ministry of Education, and local educational bodies in the various emirates of the country, ensuring the transformation of the concepts of sustainability from their theoretical framework into concrete applied practice within the school environment.

She explained that these partnerships give students the opportunity to have direct contact with specialized bodies working in the environmental field, which deepens their understanding of issues of sustainability, resource protection and social responsibility, and makes them live the environmental experience practically instead of just studying it theoretically.

Selection criterion

She added that the selection criterion for the initiative is not based on quantity, but rather on the quality of implementation and the size of the impact achieved, noting that the participating schools presented integrated environmental projects that went through all its stages, from formulating the idea and developing its plans to practical implementation and measuring results on the ground.

She stressed that this experience contributed to establishing an authentic environmental awareness among the students, and honed their skills in thinking, teamwork, and problem solving, as well as integrating the culture of sustainability into daily practices within the school through applied initiatives such as energy conservation, school agriculture, and recycling, thus enhancing the student’s role as an active partner in protecting the environment and not just a recipient of knowledge.

Integrated model

She stated that the initiative represents an integrated model that combines education and application, and contributes to transforming environmental concepts from their theoretical framework into established daily practices, stressing that investing in generations is the most impactful and sustainable investment, because it has a direct impact on the quality of life of individuals and the future of societies.

For her part, Director of the Biodiversity Department at the Authority, Fatima Al Zaabi, revealed to Emirates Today the details of the evaluation of projects participating in the initiative, as it is done through a specialized committee that adopts a precise system of professional standards that include sustainability, quality of implementation, innovation, environmental and societal impact, and the level of participation and integration between the various parties concerned.

Evaluate the idea

She explained that the committee is not satisfied with evaluating the idea in terms of its theoretical proposal, but rather focuses on its viability, the size of its actual impact on the school environment and the surrounding community, and the extent of its success in bringing about a tangible change in students’ behavior and enhancing their environmental awareness.

She added that priority is given to projects that fulfill all of their implementation stages, from developing the idea and planning to practical application and measuring results, while projects that lack full implementation or lack elements of sustainability and real impact are excluded.

Supplying schools

Al Zaabi explained that the initiative begins by providing schools with the requirements for each educational level from kindergarten to secondary school, while providing ample space for schools to present innovative ideas that go beyond the required basic framework.

She pointed out that the evaluation process goes through several stages, including measuring compliance with basic standards, monitoring the level of innovation in projects compared to previous sessions, and evaluating creativity in implementing activities and the comprehensiveness of student participation, as well as the size of community partnerships with parents and the local community.

She emphasized that the most distinguished schools are those that not only implement activities, but also succeed in spreading their impact across the entire school and linking theoretical learning with applied practice, thus enhancing the establishment of a culture of sustainability within the school and extending it to the family and society.

Educational topics

The third session witnessed the design of specialized educational topics that take into account age differences, as kindergarten activities focused on introducing them to the environment and its components using simplified interactive methods, while the first session worked to enhance awareness of the importance of natural resources and ways to preserve them. In the second episode, the initiative moved to a more profound level by developing environmental values ​​and skills through applied activities that included field trips to identify and analyze environmental challenges and propose innovative solutions to them. At the secondary level, the programs focused on global environmental issues, most notably climate change, through initiatives that promote critical thinking and active participation inside and outside school.

Traditional awareness

The initiative was not limited to traditional awareness-raising, but rather contributed to building an applied educational model based on experience and participation, where students were transformed from recipients into innovators who contribute to providing practical environmental solutions, which enhanced their critical thinking skills and social responsibility. It also contributed to creating a positive competitive environment between schools, which was reflected in the quality and diversity of the projects presented.

The ceremony included honoring the cooperating parties, led by the Ministry of Education, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, in appreciation of their role in supporting the initiative and enhancing its spread.

It also honored the winning schools that presented distinguished models in implementing environmental activities in innovative ways, as Umm Al Quwain Kindergarten – Branch Three won first place in the kindergarten category, followed by Al Tawaiyin Kindergarten, while the Pakistani Islamic Secondary School in Sharjah came third. In the first cycle stage, the Emirates Kindergarten and School in Ras Al Khaimah came in first place, followed by Hazza Bin Zayed the First School in Abu Dhabi. As for the second cycle, the Al Bardi School for Girls, Cycle 2 and 3, in Sharjah won first place, followed by Al Zawraa 1 School in Ajman, while the Australian International Private School in Sharjah won first place in the secondary stage.