Download the original attachment
2011 NATIONAL SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY SCHOOLS
Rationale:
“Overcoming poverty, gender equality, health promotion, environmental conservation and protection, rural transformation, human rights, intercultural understanding and peace, sustainable production and consumption, cultural diversity, and information and communication technologies – these are the key themes under the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) that has been declared for the years 2005-2014.
Education for sustainable development centers on awareness of sustainable development issues, enhancing knowledge, influencing values and attitudes, and encouraging responsive behavior and learning that leads to action. Information is a major component of education and a continuous campaign for massive environmental awareness is indeed necessary.
Under the country’s local response to the UNDESD, included in the National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development is a national program that would encourage schools to establish sustainable and eco-friendly schools. The school system is a vital part of our basic learning and is seen as a powerful vehicle for change. The school population, comprising of the students, teaching and non-teaching personnel, constitute a sizeable percentage of the national population. As such, any program focused on advocacy and other multi-faceted program of activities done within the school system especially relating to environmental concerns needs to be documented, encouraged, and recognized.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly schools may be described as environment-friendly schools that have initiated and integrated in their instruction, research, extension and/or administration, programs which are environment-related. The promotion of this program for the establishment and/or strengthening of sustainable and eco-friendly schools in the country had been enshrined as a priority in the ASEAN Environmental Education Plan for 2008-2012, and likewise in the Roadmap for the Implementation of Republic Act 9512 of 2008 (Environmental Awareness and Education Act) under the National Environmental Education Action Plan (2009-2014).
In 2009, the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools was launched, as a partnership program among the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, thru the Environmental Management Bureau, the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, with SMART Communications Inc. Nine schools were declared as national champions, with the best being the following: Peñablanca East Central School in Cagayan for Elementary; La Castellana National High School in Negros Occidental for High School; and Palawan State University in Palawan for College. For 2011, another National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly School is in place, to give recognition to the environmental initiatives of schools over the country. The National Search that will give recognition awards to Best Schools is planned to repeat periodically.
The following can be adopted in pursuit of sustainable eco-friendly schools:
* developing environmental policies for the school
* physical cleanliness, orderliness and beautification of the school
* energy conservation and demand management
* water conservation/water management (maintenance of potable water)
* paper conservation/paper recycling
* waste reduction, waste segregation, recycling and composting
* air, water and soil pollution control
* seedling production/vegetable gardening and marketing
* reforestation and/or nursery establishment
* establishment of a botanical garden
* herbarium
* establishment of bio-park
* environmental audits of school’s operations and facilities
* integration of environmental themes into the school curriculum
* conduct of in-service environmental training for faculty members
* development of environmental support instructional materials
* offering of environmental degrees/certificate programs
* environment and natural resource-related research works and studies
* linkages and exchanges on the environment with the following sectors: national government agencies, non-government organizations, religious organizations, local government units, business and industry sector, among others
* environmental awareness and community education, holding of green fairs and environmental exhibits/sale of green products, holding of seminars and/or conferences/symposia, holding of eco- tours or ecological destinations, healthy lifestyle campaigns
* climate change adaptation and mitigation programs
Some of these programs can take the form of: litter watch; beach eco-watch; tap watch; bantay-ulan; bantay-dagat; bantay-gubat; land care, and the like.
Objectives of the Program:
1. To encourage schools/academic institutions to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and local level; and
2. To develop skills and understanding among the students, faculty and school administrators in initiating active responses and increasing community awareness and participation on environmental concerns.
Mechanics:
1. A scheme of rating the extent of sustainability and eco-friendliness of schools had been jointly drawn up by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and some civil society and private sector groups.
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ECOFRIENDLYNESS OF THE SCHOOLS ARE GIVEN BELOW:
1. Environment-related Aspects of the School’s Policy (20 points for all categories)
* The vision/mission statement of the school incorporates an environmental thrust. (4 pts.)
* Environmental Policy of the school is existent, via school memorandum or order. (4 pts.)
* The Environmental Policy of the school is communicated to constituents in the school (students, academic and non-academic staff, and parent-teachers’ association). (4 pts.)
* There are implementing rules and regulations to the environmental policy of the school. (4 pts.)
* A person or a committee is assigned to implement environmental programs and projects for the school. (4 pts.)
2. Environmental Dimensions of School Operations (30 points for all categories)
* Waste management program (e.g. waste segregation, recycling, composting, presence of Materials Recovery Facility/System, sale of crafts, compost and other items from waste recycling, etc,) (4 pts.)
* Electricity conservation program (e.g. replacement of incandescent lamp with compact fluorescent lamps, turning off of machine when not in use, etc) (4 pts.)
* Paper conservation program (e.g. efficient consumption of paper; presence of paper conservation trays, etc.) (4 pts.)
* Water conservation program (e.g. repair of leaking faucets, signages, etc.) (4 pts.)
* Pollution prevention program (e.g. air and water pollution prevention program, ban on entry of smoke belching vehicles on the campus, presence of signages, etc.) (4 pts.)
* Greening program (presence of plants, trees, mini-gardens etc) (4 pts.)
* Environmental awards received (from 2009-2011) (2 pts.)
* Other environmental and natural resources management program/s not mentioned above (e.g. biodiversity conservation program, climate change adaptation and mitigation programs, etc.) (4 pts.)
3. Environment-related Features of the School Curriculum (30 points for all categories)
3.1 (for elementary and high school education level)
* Integration of environmental themes into the curriculum (10 pts.)
* Presence of in-service environmental training for faculty members (10 pts.)
* Presence of environmental support instructional materials for use by teachers and students (10 pts.)
3.2 (for college level)
* Integration of environmental themes into the curriculum (5 pts.)
* Presence of in-service environmental training for faculty members (10 pts.)
* Presence of environmental support instructional materials for use by Teachers and students (10 pts.)
* Presence of environmental degree/certificate programs being offered by the school (5 pts.)
4. Presence of Vibrant Eco Organizations in Campus (10 pts in all categories)
* Presence of a functioning eco-club among the students with at least one eco-project per school year over the past two years (4 pts.)
* Presence of support eco club or committee among the parents, teachers and other non-student sector in campus (3 pts.)
* Allocation of financial and logistical support by the schools to the student eco-club (3 pts.)
5. Presence of Environmental Partners and Linkages in various Programs/Projects (10 points for all categories)
* Linkages with Local Agencies (e.g. DENR or other agencies, LGUs, etc.) (5 pts.)
* Linkages with International Agencies (e.g. United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO, etc.) (5 pts.)
6. REQUIREMENTS. Participating schools are required to submit the following documents in THREE (3) sets:
o Official Contest Entry Form (See attached entry form for reference)
o Supporting Documents (Consist of all the supporting materials that show evidence of the school’s environment efforts and programs. They can include the following:
* memoranda, circulars, special orders
* photos of environmental programs of the school
* publications and design work
* copies of certificate, merit awards for environment programs
Be selective with the supporting documents. Pick work samples that best represent your school, rather than sending every item.
6.1 Digital information – Save digital copies of the Summary Sheet and the Supporting Documents on a CD-ROM. Label properly. Assemble your school initiatives (Summary Sheet and the Supporting Documents) in a folder and label “Sustainable and Eco-friendly Initiatives of (NAME OF SCHOOL)â€
7. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES
7.1 For elementary and high school categories. Entries should be submitted directly to their respective DepEd Division Offices.
7.2 For the college category. Entries should be submitted to the nearest EMB Regional Office.
7.3 Deadline of submission. The deadline for the submission of entries is on April 29, 2011.
8. SCREENING OF ENTRIES. Selected entries from the elementary and high school will then be submitted to the EMB Regional Offices by the DepEd Division Offices by July 4, 2011. Entries will be screened by a core group consisting of representatives from EMB, DepEd, CHED, SMART and/or other partners at the regional level. The core group will also handle actual assessment and other documentation for the schools that will be shortlisted. Representatives from the core group may also check the veracity of documentation submitted.
Previous winners are still eligible to join.
9. BOARD OF JUDGES. The decision of the Board of Judges to be composed of noted individuals in the areas of environmental education, coming from the government, private sector and civil society at the regional and national levels, shall be final and unappealable
10. AWARDS AND PRIZES
9.1 Regional Level. There will be one regional finalist per category. Each will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition and =P= 10,000.00 prize in cheque.
9.2 National Level. Regional finalists shall compete at the National level. Judging will be held at the EMB Central Office.
9.3 Prizes for the competition, at the national level are the following:
College Category
First Prize =P= 50,000.00
Second Prize =P= 40,000.00
Third Prize =P= 30,000.00
High School Category
First Prize =P= 50,000.00
Second Prize =P= 40,000.00
Third Prize =P= 30,000.00
Elementary School Category
First Prize =P= 50,000.00
Second Prize =P= 40,000.00
Third Prize =P= 30,000.00
11. PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE SCHOOL INITIATIVES. Regional winners should submit exhibit-ready materials of their entry to the respective EMB Regional Office by August 12, 2011 on the format below:
* Material: Tarpaulin. Dimension 2 feet wide x 5 feet high tarpaulin, without eyelets at the four edges.
* Content: Tarpaulin design should feature the environment efforts and programs of the school. Design should include the title Sustainable and Eco-friendly Initiatives of (NAME OF SCHOOL)â€. Contents of the tarpaulin should follow the highlights of school accomplishments in accordance with sequence of the Search criteria. The tarpaulin should also refrain from focusing on “firing squad/portrait†photos of political leaders/government officials/school/youth leaders, etc.
12. AWARDING CEREMONIES. All winning entries for each category, together with selected entries will be displayed during the national awarding ceremonies to be held in November 2011, in time for the National Environmental Awareness Month celebration.
13. PROGRAM WEBSITE. A program website containing the schools’ initiatives and important information will be periodically uploaded at the sustainable schools website (
www.sustainableschools.ph), so that it can be venue for continuing exchange of information for initiatives of sustainable and eco-friendly schools in the country.
To facilitate fasten uploading of your school initiatives, please prepare a one-page description of your environmental programs and projects, and two photos with caption and email to
[email protected].
14. CONTACT INFORMATION. For inquiries, please contact the Program Secretariat at the Environmental Education and Information Division, EMB-DENR, 2nd Flr., HRD Bldg., DENR Compound, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, telefax no. 928-46-74 and telephone no. 920-22-51 or via e-mail at
[email protected] Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=31720.0