Scotland has become the first country to have 2,000 schools awarded a ‘Green Flag’ eco-award.
Eco-Schools, the largest sustainable school programme in the world, presented the milestone achievement to pupils and staff at St John’s RC Academy in Perth last week.
To achieve the certification a school has to demonstrate it has a green ethos in all areas and is helping inform and educate its pupils to understand their role in a sustainable global future.
Institutions need to perform a number of steps before they’re eligible, including forming an eco-committee, conducting an environmental review and linking environmentally friendly ideas to the curriculum.
On a global level, Eco-Schools connects more than 15 million children, young people and educators through sustainable development education across 64 countries.
St John’s RC Academy Head Teacher Sean Hagney said: “This award recognises our commitment to sustainable education over many years and I congratulate the pupils, parents and staff of the nursery, primary and secondary on this achievement, as well as our wider community partners.
“It recognises the huge variety of learning which takes place in school to help make our world a better place for now and into the future, from planting vegetables in our community garden, to upcycling and recycling waste, to being a Fairtrade and Rights Respecting School.”