1,000 environmental schools planned

 environmental schools planned

Environment Desk

Over 1,000 environmental schools will be established nationwide through private investment, said the head of Department of the Environment.

Masoumeh Ebtekar further said that Forests, Rangelands and Watershed Organization and Ministry of Education are extending good cooperation in this respect.

She underlined the need to create green entrepreneurship across the country, adding: "I think environmental schools will create a positive perspective on employment."

She said green jobs are a win-win approach since, in addition to protecting the environment, jobs are created.

Ebtekar continued that DoE has taken good steps on conserving water resources.

"Fifty-two villages in the Zagros region (west of Iran) and 100 villages near Orumieh Lake (in the northwest) operate on basis of the principles of water management and sustainable development."

She added: "We can succeed in creating green entrepreneurship in cooperation with Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare."

Optimizing energy consumption, reducing greenhouse gases, preserving the habitats and wetlands are among the indices of green entrepreneurship.

Students in all age groups will be given the opportunity to attend environmental schools.

Students in environmental schools will spend half-day in the nature per week as part of an outdoor adventure.

Acquaintance with environmental issues including, the threats to nature as well as animal and plant lives are as important as lessons in history, geography, mathematics, family values and morals, she pointed out.

Students in environmental schools will have the chance to be in direct contact with the nature by touching animals and building mud houses.

Environmental contents will be incorporated in textbooks on sociology, history and geography, as part of a plan devised by the Education Ministry.

Nature is important to children's development in every way — intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically.

According to studies, daily exposure to natural settings increases children's ability to focus and enhance cognitive abilities.