The EkoSkola programme, launched in 1994 by the International Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in over 12,000 schools around the world, is now a successful environmental education project in a large number of Maltese schools. Supported by the HSBC Cares For The Environment Fund and the HSBC Cares For Children Fund together with the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment. EkoSkola in Malta has become a popular learning programme among children. The programme is organised by Nature Trust (Malta) as representatives of FEE in Malta.

The Malta Independent talks to Michelle Grech, one of the directors on the HSBC Cares For The Environment Fund (HCEF) Board as well as a member of the EcoSkola Steering Committee about HCEF’s support for the programme and progress to date.

What is the idea behind HCEF supporting EkoSkola?

HCEF focuses on three main areas for pro-activity: afforestation, climate change and environment education. With EkoSkola, not only are we hitting the educational side of working for the environment, but we are also reaching children, very much at the heart of HSBC’s social responsibility initiatives. More than 20,000 students in 54 schools are involved in this nationwide project. In supporting EkoSkola, we are also emulating HSBC UK, who also support EkoSkola, albeit in a different manner.

What kind of environmental concepts is EkoSkola trying to promote?

We aim on raising general awareness, on the three Rs, on thinking about doing things in a more environmentally friendly manner, before we go along with our daily habits. The programme helps to develop environmental responsibility in students and overflow this responsibility to the parents and community. The Ekoskola programme is a programme run by the children who look into various environmental issues in their school, identify the areas where attention is needed to improve and work towards achieving better results.

What teaching methods are used for this programme?

The programme is run entirely by the students, guided by their teachers. The students organise themselves in committees, hold meetings, take minutes, run for election, propose manifestos and subsequently carry out school environmental audits, generate ideas for action and carry out regular monitoring. The children’s motivation and enthusiasm is impressive. They own their responsibility and it’s a pleasure meeting them on school visits because their enthusiasm is so infectious. In fact, the most important result of this project is the overspill into the families.

Apart from environmental knowledge and awareness, what other benefits do the children reap, through EcoShools?

Ekoskola is an innovative project that gives children the opportunity for decision making, taking responsibility, full participation and management – factors which directly contribute towards pushing the concepts of citizenship and democracy in schools.

What’s in it for the schools?

The first tangible benefit is an environmental audit, where the children measure water and electricity consumption, waste generation, and other consumption patterns, and plan out action for improvement. Readings are taken regularly, and targets are always in focus. Then, there is the awareness raising factor, with an overspill onto the teaching body, and fostering a culture of sustainability. Participation by the children is also an important benefit, since during most of the school day, this is limited.

What kind of awards are the schools given on successful completion of their projects?

The prestigious International Green flag is given to those schools which measure up to the rigorous international criteria set. To date, three schools have been awarded the Flag – St Joseph Blata l-Bajda, St Joseph Paola and Zurrieq Primary A. What I can tell you is the children’s satisfaction and pride on winning the Flag is exceptional.

What has the experience of your involvement in EkoSkola been?

As a first, I would say it was a wake up call to realise how pro-active, confident and assertive the children are. They want the Green Flag, they know what they have to do to get it, and they do their utmost to get where they want to. What is also impressive is the amount of thought and detail that goes into their every action. The programme takes them far beyond paper recycling. If they plant trees in the grounds, they are endemic trees. Leaking taps are reported, and teachers rebuked on their use of plastic and other habits that harm the environment!

Admittedly, the programme is more popular with primary school children than with secondary level pupils. The HSBC Cares For The Environment Fund is seeking to redress this lacuna by sponsoring the FEE Young Reporters Programme, aimed at older students’ environmental education through research-based environmental reporting.

But the resounding success of the programme is fantastic. It is an ideal way of changing the country’s culture by getting them young.