The following is issued on behalf of the Environmental Campaign Committee:
The Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) today (September 26) held a presentation ceremony for winning schools under the 16th Hong Kong Green School Award (HKGSA) to recognise their efforts in promoting environmental education and practising the habit of "use less, waste less". This year, 59 schools received the Green School Award while 25 schools won the Green Lunch School Award (see Annex for the list of awardees).
Speaking at the award presentation ceremony, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said that waste reduction at source is the key to tackling environmental problems. He called on the public to take proactive action to achieve the aim of "dump less, save more" and live a low-carbon lifestyle. He also encouraged schools to maintain their efforts in promoting the message of "use less, waste less".
The Chairman of the ECC, Mr Lam Chiu-ying, commended the winning schools for their unfailing efforts in enhancing environmental awareness among students. He said that in addition to incorporating different environmental elements into their curriculum, the schools had also organised various environmental activities to nurture students' interest in exploring nature, with the aim of developing a caring attitude towards nature and natural resources.
For the primary and secondary school categories of the HKGSA, the schools underwent assessments according to four criteria, namely Environmental Policy and Campus Environment, Environmental Management Measures, Environmental Education Plan and Implementation, and Environmental Education Effectiveness. After verification of the scores, schools meeting the benchmark scores in the relevant assessment criteria were presented with the Green School Gold, Silver or Bronze Award. Among a total of 181 entries this year, seven primary schools and nine secondary schools received the Gold Award, six primary schools and five secondary schools received the Silver Award, and 14 primary schools and eight secondary schools received the Bronze Award. Schools receiving the title Hong Kong Green School were invited to compete in the schools sector of the 2018 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence.
In the pre-school category, assessment was made according to four criteria, namely Environmental Infrastructure, Environmental Management, Environmental Education, and Parents' Participation in Environmental Activities. This year, 10 award-winning pre-schools out of 48 entries were presented with cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Launched in 2000, the HKGSA has since attracted the participation of more than 860 schools. The scheme, sponsored by the Environment and Conservation Fund, aims to encourage schools to formulate an environmental policy and implement an environmental management plan. The scheme also aims to enhance environmental awareness, help develop an environment-friendly attitude and promote green practices among school managers, teachers, non-teaching staff, students and their families.
For details about the HKGSA, please visit the ECC's Schools Go Green website at school.ecc.org.hk.
The 16th HKGSA presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today. In addition to Mr Wong and Mr Lam, other officiating guests were Deputy Secretary for Education, Mrs Hong Chan Tsui-wah, and the Convenor of the ECC Education Working Group, Ms Sylvia Chan. Representatives from the co-organisers, namely the Education University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the Vocational Training Council, also attended the event.
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