Green School

School buildings are the most expensive assets, it is very important that they are developed in a sustainable way so that their construction and operation are also sustainable for future generation. To attain the aims of SSA – access, enrolment, retention and quality education to all children, all the existing schools should be transformed into Green Schools so that it invites, attracts and retains children in the school thereby improve enrolment and retention.

To address the above mentioned aspects of SSA, Govt. of Gujarat has initiated Green & Sustainable School Programme in 2013. Green & Sustainable School Programme is about not only sustainable development but maintaining Green in the context of ecological balance through active participation of students, teachers and the community.

‘Green’ is about the present generation's responsibility to improve the future generation's life by restoring the previous ecosystem and resisting contributing to future ecosystem damage.

• Air - Emission footprint due to survival, cooking, transport and quality of air
• Water - Sources, RWH, conservation and recycling
• Land - Optimum use of land, maximizing bio-diversity, soil conservation
• Energy - Consumption of electricity, kitchen fuel, warming / cooling of building
• Waste - Solid, liquid, segregation, turning waste into resource, reducing waste
• Building - Optimum use of space and comfort, light, functionality, safety and security

Goal : To sensitize and mobilize schools to become sustainable ecosystems and let children be the torch-bearer of the movement.

• To learn importance and benefit of green schools
• To develop creativity and better understanding among the children
• To learn the concepts of science, mathematics, social science and language in the world around the children
• To create innovative ideas for the society

• Rain water harvesting system and Management of Water
• Plantation
• Solar energy and solar cooking
• Energy conservation practices
• Waste management
• School safety plan and overall School augmentation & modification

• Development of audit form with standard norms to analyse the present condition of school and surroundings
• Technical staff, teachers and students are trained for the process
• At the beginning, baseline survey is conducted where the schools get initial scores
• After a few months, the second one-Midterm survey is conducted where the school has initiated some activities to address sustainability.
• Final survey is conducted to assess what has achieved so far. This is a continuous process which gives the change to be better and better in the aspect.
• The survey is conducted by the children, teachers & technical staff at least three times in a year.

• The Programme is synchronized with the curriculum
• Develops creativity: For better understanding among children to learn importance and benefit of green schools and become ambassadors of the idea for the society.
• It is mandatory to conduct awareness programmes in the society or village to spread awareness about the sustainable practices so that the activities from the school will be transformed to the entire village community.
• The programme is for surroundings which is affecting the nature.

• 208 existing schools are transformed into Green & Sustainable Schools.

Outcome

• Sensitized children and community towards environment
• Conducive environment towards making students true Global citizen.
• Create favourable learning and teaching conditions
• Involvement of community to sustain and maintain the good practices as well as properties
• Providing healthy and pleasant environment around school in village/neighbourhood
• A rise in trust and faith of parents towards school
• Increased enrolment and retention
• Curriculum enrichment through practical experience
• Increment in personal and social ownership among teachers and children
• Improvement in student’s fitness level due to improved environment and reduced pollution