The aim of the project is to increase the community awareness about safely attitude to the natural resources of the planet through establishing school centers for environmental education in Ukraine. Within the projects, schools received materials and equipment sets for making analyses of the environment and inside conditions, and demonstration sets with alternative energy sources. Thermovisual analysis and in-depth seminars were conducted in the participating schools.
Agenda of the final event was very tight because it included interesting presentations of school environmental programs and new information on opportunities of fundraising for environmental projects from local budgets. The main purpose of the event was to demonstrate the importance and perspective of school work as well as indicate possible ways of attracting resources for continuation of successful activities in the established school centers of environmental education.
The introductory word was made by Svyatoslav Pavlyuk (PAUCI Foundation), Sergey Reshetov (US Embassy in Ukraine) and Dmytro Murashko (RUSAL Company, Charity Foundation “Social Partnership Center”). All participants received Winners Certificates and special prizes (whether watching stations comparable with computer soft). The following schools became project winners: Lubny Special School #6, Cherkasy Special School #3, Ladyzhyn Secondary School #1 and Pochetne Lyceum.
Mykola Pylypchuk (State Environmental Academy, Center for Financial and Economic Studies) told in details about financial sources for environmental protection activities in Ukraine that can be used by schools as well.
Svitlana Malikova (Ministry of Science and Education, Youth and Sport of Ukraine, Department of innovation technologies) paid attention to the importance of environmental activities in schools and involving pupils to innovative methods of work.
Olena Kutovenko (Kyiv Mohyla Academy Professor) opened discussion on “Environmental taxes in Ukraine – will they resolve local environmental problems?” and told that Ukrainian residents have an opportunity to receive financial support for environmental initiatives and solution of current problems by means of official appeals and keeping all necessary procedures.
Pilot projects presentations were interesting and various, full of innovations and deep research. It appeared that many of pupils who participated in the project became winners of different competitions on environmental topic both at local and national levels. The programs of the following city schools were presented: Lubny, Ladyzhyn, Cherkasy, Pochetne, Kupiansk, Zhytomyr, Sarny, Olesha, Bucha, Mykolaiv and Banychi.
This meeting illustrated the necessity of pro-environmental and energy saving activities and education as well as the fact that activities in city and village schools can be efficient. PAUCI Foundation will continue fundraising to implement the thee-year experience of work with educational institutions on environmental and energy saving topic.
