Vietnam launches ASEAN Eco School Award 2025

THE HANOI TIMES — The Ministry oò Agriculture and Environment on September 19 launched the ASEAN Eco-Schools Award 2025 under the theme “Plastic Free Schools,” kicking off a series of activities to promote environmental awareness in schools after 12 were honored last year.

In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh affirmed that education is the cornerstone of sustainable development. He said schools transmit knowledge, nurture awareness, and foster responsibility in the younger generation.

Thanh called on local authorities, agencies, and the media to intensify communication, ensuring every school, even in remote, border and island areas, can take part in the award.

At the event, Phan Anh, Principal of Genesis Secondary School in Hanoi, which won the 2024 first prize, shared the school’s journey toward an eco-friendly model.

He said changing environmental habits is like learning to write with the left hand, difficult at first but natural with patience.

Genesis has launched initiatives such as tree planting, reducing plastics, recycling, energy-saving days, secondhand fairs, and an eco school garden.

According to Phan Anh, the essence of an eco school lies in the daily responsible actions of teachers and students. He stressed that small steps today can drive greater change tomorrow.

This year’s award brings together about 11,000 participants across more than 400 venues. It highlights the importance of building green educational environments while inspiring environmental action among students, the future ambassadors of sustainability.