Ministry of Education and UNICEF implement joint environmental project

A working group of specialists from the Ministry of Education and the representative office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) began attending schools that received the status of "pilot" in the context of the joint project "Strengthening the stability and adaptation of children to climate change". 
Combating climate change is one of the goals of sustainable development. As is known, Turkmenistan implements the National Strategy on Climate Change. In 2016, the Agenda for Sustainable Development came into force and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was ratified. 
The joint project of the Ministry of Education and UNICEF launched at the end of 2017 is planed for two years. The international experience was presented at the initial stage on the integration in school curricula of methodological tools aimed at environmental education and raising awareness of the consequences of climate change. 
At the present stage, a cycle of educational activities has been organized in the pilot schools of the project located in the Dashoguz and Ahal regions. Their choice is related to the climatic and ecological characteristics of these regions. 
The Dashoguz region is subject to the negative influence of the Aral crisis, and some settlements of the Ahal region are located in the mountainous area. 
During trips and meetings the level of ecological knowledge of children and the degree of availability of schools with information and illustrative materials on this topic are analyzed. 
In the Dashoguz region five schools were established, located in two etraps: S.Turkmenbashi (schools Nos. 13, 93 and 94) and Kunyaurgench (schools Nos. 9 and 10). The working group visited natural science and English lessons, as well as lessons on the basics of life activity, devoted to climate change issues, got acquainted with the work of school ecological clubs. 
Subject conferences were held in all the above schools. Teachers and schoolchildren discoursed their presentations. All reports were illustrated with video and photographic materials. The exhibitions of children's drawings and handicrafts were organized within the framework of the forums. 
The working group also visited the rehabilitation center of Dashoguz, which operates under the region administration of education. Extra-curricular activities are conducted on a regular basis to encourage children to learn the rules of behavior in case of emergencies associated with unfavorable weather conditions. 
In the near future, it is planned to carry out a similar trip to Ahal region. The project is supported by the National Red Crescent Society, the Committee for Hydrometeorology under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and other departments of the country.

source:TDH