Blue Forests Inside Classrooms... Gyeongnam Office of Education to Operate 10 Ecological Environment Future Schools This Year

Changwon, Yangsan, Goseong, Tongyeong Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Selected

Gyeongnam Changwon-si Masan Girls' Middle School is operating an ecological environment future school curriculum.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Office of Education selected 10 Ecological Environment Future Schools to operate this year and held a project briefing session on the 5th at the main conference room of the Second Office Building.

The Ecological Environment Future School project creates ecological environments such as natural playgrounds, village forests (parks), and fine dust reduction forests that can be shared by the village and local residents centered around the school.

All school members participate from the selection and design of the ecological environment to be created at the school, linking the selected environment to the curriculum.

For example, students write essays on the environment during Korean language classes, study the local ecosystem in science classes, and create sculptures of village parks in art classes.

Environmental education is also provided to faculty and parents, and their opinions are sought on which ecological environments are effective.

The project started with 5 schools in 2020, expanded to 8 schools last year, and this year, 10 schools selected through an open call for proposals will participate.

The selected schools are Changwon-si Bandong Elementary School, Changwon Handeul Elementary School, Masan Muhak Girls' Middle School, Yangsan-si Baekdong Elementary School, Yangsan Elementary School, Beomeo Middle School, Goseong-gun Guman Elementary School, Cheolseong High School, Tongyeong-si Byeokbang Elementary School, and Uiryeong-gun Uiryeong Girls' High School.

About 30 participants including school principals, administrative directors, and teachers attended the briefing session to share the project’s purpose, creation procedures, cases from schools operated last year, use of project facilitators, and administrative and financial procedures.

The Gyeongnam Office of Education plans to create ecological environments such as forests and ponds that absorb carbon in local communities and school spaces through the Ecological Environment Future School project and raise awareness of their importance.

An education office official said, “We will spread interest and practice toward ecological transition education, which is one of the four major tasks of Gyeongnam education, to all schools.”

Yoo Sangjo, Head of the Climate Environment Education Promotion Team, said, “The Ecological Environment Future School is a core project of the Gyeongnam Office of Education’s environmental education,” and added, “Please make efforts to share and continuously manage the ecological environment with the local community.”