Envisioning a Green India

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A two-day National Green Mentors Conference was held at Karnavati University, Gandhinagar on July 11, 2019. It was organised by Ahmedabad based Green Mentors in association with Department of Climate Change, Dept of Science & Technology and Govt. of Gujarat. Envisioning a Green India Envisioning a Green India Envisioning a Green India

The conference was inaugurated by Minister of Education, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama. Speakers and climate champions from more than 20 Universities and 200 Schools including Nalanda University, Garhwal University, Malta University, ELA Green School, Dunes School Abu Dhabi were present.

Special screening session of “Jhalki”, an upcoming bollywood film by noted film maker Bharmanand Singh was highlight of the programme.

Gujarat is popularly known as the first state in Asia to introduce Green Schools in the Government system of all districts as the first step to bring nature into education.

The concept of Green School and University is a benefit for everyone involved. In addition to protecting students from environmental health and safety risks, it helps to save money and increase efficiency. To recognize and applaud schools and universities which make environment conservation practices as their top priority, Green Awards were presented. The UN Environment Education Consultant Gayatri Raghav, Film maker Bharmanand Singh and GUJCOST Director Dr Narottam Sahoo gave away the awards to 40 Green Educators, 25 Green Mentors, 50 Green Schools, 6 Green Universities, 05 Green Enterprises, and 05 Green Organization, including Gujarat based Ganpat University, Mehsana, Navrachna School and few Government Green Schools of Gujarat.

“Bringing nature into equation can provide the solution to poverty, unemployment, climate change and economic imbalance. Nature and value driven education will make India Green and Great Again,” said Virendra Rawat, the organizer.

A series of discussions on draft National Education policy 2019 was conducted where different recommendations were put ahead by the delegates:

Recommendations for NEP 2019:

PRE SCHOOLS

1. Renaming every Pre-School as Nature School.
2. Introducing Local Environment, Culture, Heritage and Language in the Curriculum.
3. Providing Green Resources: like Green Energy, Water Harvesting and Composting.
4. Training all Pre School Teachers as Green Teacher in local language and value system.

SCHOOLS

1. Making Sanskrit – Nature’s own Language as compulsory
2. Regional Language must be Second Language and English should be Third Language
3. Introducing Wellness Classroom in all Schools
4. 30% Syllabus must be taught in Outdoor Neighboring Nature
5. All Subjects including Languages, Science, and Math must be integrated with local environment and culture
6. Conventional Teaching Pedagogy must be replaced by Indigenous Teaching Pedagogy
7. 1 Teacher: 10 Trees Ratio should be introduced in all Schools to provide Clean Air from the nearest point to all Students.
8. Agriculture and Horticulture Subjects can be offered as optional subjects from class VI-XII.

TEACHERS

1. Environmental Skills should be introduced as compulsory skills for Teachers Training and Recruitment
2. Teachers contribution towards making school campus Green and Clean should be introduced as one of the most important criteria for promotion and Salary increment.
3. Annually 15 days Teacher exchange program between the Private Schools and Government Schools must be introduced to bring the equality in education.
4. 30 days Tribal Internship and 30 days Slum internship must be introduced in Teachers Training Program before presenting B. Ed. Degree.
5. Green University Graduates must be given Priority on Teachers recruitment that will inspire Universities to adopt Green Practices.

UNIVERSITIES

1. Every University must declare its Sustainability Policy as part of their commitment to Climate Change.
2. Few Universities must be transformed as life making Universities, instead of Degree Certifying Authority.
3. Introducing Indigenous Education program in UG, PG and Doctoral level.
4. Introducing Environment Science in the first year of Medical, Law, Humanities, Commerce, Science and Technical Education.
5. Introducing Green University Ranking as Criteria for Grant and Development Fund.
6. Introducing Green Teachers Diploma program in Universities towards providing Green skilled teachers to Schools.

RESOURCE, RESEARCH AND REGULATION

1. To complement the vision of Green Schools and Green Universities, state will have to provide Authentic Green Content and Green Resources to the Schools and Universities through a Govt. regulated body.
2. Gujarat Council of Science and Technology and Climate Change Department Govt. of Gujarat can be requested to provide the Certified Green Curriculum and certified Green Teachers to the Schools.
3. Climate Change Department Govt. of Gujarat can be requested to provide the Certified Green Vendors for Green Energy, Clean Water, Green Transport, Green Uniform, Green Food, Outdoor Learning Spaces, Air Quality Monitoring System.
4. Creation of Green Research Fund for Universities to promote sustainable
research.

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