The First "Green Schools" Certification Will Begin in Turkmenistan This Fall
This fall, Turkmen schools will receive a new official status: the country's best educational institutions will undergo their first environmental certification. The assessment is being conducted by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNICEF, analyzing not only the energy efficiency of buildings but also how children learn to protect the environment and respond to climate challenges.
The "Green School" pilot project, launched in 2025, demonstrated such high student and teacher engagement that it was decided to scale up the program. Recently, 100 more schools from Ashgabat and all regions officially joined the initiative, bringing the total number of participants to 120.
Unlike one-time events, the "Green School" status represents a comprehensive standard. Experts will evaluate the implementation of resource-saving practices in management, infrastructure modernization, and the adaptation of buildings to climate conditions. The most important criterion will be the educational process: by September 1, participating schools will receive new teaching aids, and lessons on environmental protection and disaster risk reduction will be included in the school curriculum. Furthermore, community engagement is assessed, as school projects must extend beyond the classroom and engage residents of nearby areas.
A prime example of the school's readiness for certification was the national "Green Skills" competition, where schoolchildren amazed experts with their original projects on space improvement and environmental awareness.
The main goal of this large-scale initiative is to gradually transition the entire national education system to the new standards. According to joint plans of the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, by 2030, 500 schools, representing almost a quarter of the total number of secondary schools in Turkmenistan, should receive green certification and updated curricula.
