Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer noted during his speech at the ceremony that his Ministry has signed a convention concerning the protecting the Mediterranean Sea from pollution during the 22nd meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP22) and release of caretta caretta sea turtles adding that, "We had the opportunity to take environmentally cautious measures. First step was the elective "environment training" courses for 7th and 8th grade students. Then we updated this course and renamed it as "environment training and climate change. Later, we organized environment and climate change training programs for teachers."

 

Minister Özer stated that his Ministry cooperated with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change for the Environmentally Friendly 1000 Schools Project.

 

As a part of the project, the Ministry selected 1000 schools from every district of the country and the goal is to expand the project to all 58,108 schools affiliated to the Ministry. It is planned to install solar panels and rainwater store reservoirs to schools.

 

"Existing libraries will be converted to zero waste libraries. In other words, our students will have the opportunity to experience recycle of unused education materials. Organic waste from school cafeterias will be converted into compost fertilizer. Children will grow plants at the school garden by using these fertilizers. Our ministry will also organize environment awareness and climate change training programs for the teachers and administrators of selected schools," said Minister Özer.

 

Meanwhile, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum stated that environment training should begin in primary school and future generations will get this training in better conditions and live in a cleaner environment.

 

"This is a very special and important project that will provide children with an opportunity to increase their environmental and nature awareness," said Kurum.

 

Minister Kurum also mentioned the ongoing "Zero Waste Project" carried out under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's spouse Emine Erdoğan.

 

The Zero Waste Project won many international awards and ranked first among hundreds of projects in last year's UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Contest.

 

Kurum noted that children who received environment training became environmental inspectors who worked like "bees." He stated that in addition to this project, they have elected young climate envoys from 209 universities and these envoys are working in an effort to fight against climate change.

 

"I believe that we will manage to be listed among the first 10 in the GreenMetric program which voted for the world's climate friendly universities. Currently, 209 academicians are working with students. We keep on designing new projects every day with the purpose of raising awareness about zero waste, environment and nature and climate change," Kurum added.