The Environment Society of Oman (ESO), supported by Veolia Oman, Emilys Garden, has launched the second phase of its Namat Competition for 2021-2022. This competition, previously known as the Green School Competition in Oman, aims to promote eco-friendly awareness and encourage a conservation culture in schools throughout the Sultanate. It challenges students to develop sustainable solutions to environmental problems. ESO has made it possible for all Oman government schools (grades 5-12), to register through the website from 20 December 2021 to 2 January 2022. https://eso-edu.com/green-school/gs-registration/?lang=ar
We are proud to see ESO’s efforts to instill a culture of sustainability among our students. The first phase of competition had a huge impact and the teams worked tirelessly to complete their projects. Nine schools from six different governates were awarded the title. Dr. Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi is the Undersecretary of Ministry of Education for Education. This competition continues the drive to inspire young people to work hard, encourage critical and creative thinking skills, as well as to engage with their communities. We are excited to see what new ideas they come up with for phase 2.
Veolia Oman, a global and regional resource management company with a strong presence, sponsors the project. Emilys Garden, a memorial to Emily Jewitt, an environmental activist from Oman and the Netherlands, also sponsors the project.
We supported this initiative because Emily’s passion for the environment was the main reason we chose to do so. Emily was involved in environmental activities in the schools she attended, and this is her way of giving back Oman, her home for six years. Juliet, Emilys mother, told Emilys Garden. Emilys Garden, in its essence, is about improving humanity’s impact on the planet. We believe that every student deserves the chance to be educated in environmental sustainability practices and live rewarding lives that support their dreams of a brighter tomorrow.
Veolia Oman Chief Executive Officer Erwan Rouxel said, “Environmental awareness is important because they have great effects on health, socio-economic development, and health.” It is vital that students are taught environmental literacy at an early age to help them understand the fragility and importance of the environment. This partnership with Environment Society of Oman, our latest effort to support education and engagement of youth about environmental issues, is a great step towards instilling an active attitude among the youth.
Namat Competition encourages participating schools to form a team made up of students, faculty members, and members of the parents and teachers council. Each team must identify an existing environmental risk in their school or locality under one of these themes: Best School In Waste Management, Best School In Water Management, Best School Energy Management. The teams will then be expected to create an action plan to raise awareness of and mitigate these concerns. The teams will then implement their ideas and submit a final report. This will take place between December 2021 and June 2022. The qualified schools will submit their final reports to ESO after being shortlisted. The winners will be announced in June 2022 after a thorough evaluation and school visits. The cash prize for the winners will be OMR 1,000 OMR, OMR 300, and OMR 150 respectively.
Students must fill out an online application form with the chosen theme and action to be eligible to take part in the initiative. https://eso-edu.com/green-school/gs-registration/?lang=ar.
