A public school in the municipality of Huila Pitalito has won the World’s Best School Award, given to the world’s best schools in the environmental action category. The announcement was made from London, United Kingdom, where the other four winners were announced.
This is the headquarters of the Municipal Montessori Educational Corporation, San Francisco. A public primary and secondary institution known for its environmentally focused programs that create a strong impact in society.
The institution received this award as one of three institutions that made it to the finals among thousands of applications from more than 100 countries around the world. In the final stage they beat Mamoura British Academy in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and Muntinlupa National High School (Philippines).
“We are excited about this success of the Municipal Montessori Educational Institution in Pitalito, headquartered in San Francisco. We can proudly say that the innovative pedagogy of this school has become an example of environmental education for the world. I hope that Colombian schools will follow suit, utilizing education as a means of preserving life and nature, To contribute to the sustainable development of the lands and communities in which they are located, Education Minister Aurora Vergara Figueroa stated.
Once the results are known, the public school will receive an award of $50,000 based on the proposal submitted during the application. “To establish a research center specialized in the treatment of solid and liquid coffee waste that meets the demand for sustainable solutions.”
The institution managed to become a finalist in its work to confront the environmental challenges created by the large amount of waste produced in the said process, with 95 percent of the by-products being dumped into water bodies. The focus of the school is to teach students how they can contribute to the improvement of the environment and contribute to the sustainable development of their region by encouraging entrepreneurship.
“Teachers around the world should emulate the amazing work of this school and the difference it is making to the lives of so many in their communities,” said Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School Awards. Governments should recognize the pioneering work the school is doing because it is a big part of everyday life. helps find answers to your challenges.
Minister of National Education Aurora Vergara was also present at the award ceremony and chatted with the students and parents of the institution and congratulated them for their work.
The school aims to provide education and assistance to the coffee community with the support of specialist companies, promoting business projects that promote environmental sustainability and provide additional income for households.
Huila is one of the leading regions for coffee production in Colombia and faces environmental challenges due to the large amount of waste generated during the process.
This is because 95 percent of by-products, including pulp, mucilage, bark, rubber and stems, are discharged into water bodies, affecting the environment.
The school’s focus is on teaching students how they can contribute to the sustainable development of their region, improving the environment and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Mathematics and physics teachers Ramón Majé Floriano and natural sciences professor Jorge Andrés Lizcano Vargas aim to contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution from various coffee by-products and reintroduce them into three coffee-production chains: Growing villages, San Francisco, Santa Inés, where about 200 families live and from the municipality of Pitalito Huila, Netherlands.
“Our initial intention is to transform pedagogical practices and move from traditional models to active didactic models, with project-based learning as our central axis, thereby transforming our school into an incubator of environmental awareness and responsible behavior,” the professor said. Ramón Majé.
Additionally, Professor Jorge Lizcano noted that gaining this important international recognition is a dream come true, but the challenges will not end if we do not always ask for more. “We want to transform the economic, social and environmental aspects of society and we know that this is just beginning and we are on the right track,” he said.
Cafelab Colombia has already shown significant results. From a social perspective, it has become a research center for the entire southern region of Colombia. It benefits more than 150,000 students, 5,000 teachers and a population of approximately 600,000 who participate in coffee-related activities.
On an environmental level, the program has converted more than 100,000 tonnes of coffee pulp into productive use, recovering more than 20 liters of water per kilogram of washed coffee. It also enabled the production of electric batteries and ecological materials.
Economically, the school has “encouraged the growth of certified sustainable businesses specializing in the processing of coffee waste, promoting a circular economy and offering new income opportunities to local communities.”
“This great honor recognizes their great work in addressing the environmental impacts of coffee production, contributing to a more sustainable world, and inspiring educators everywhere,” said Jill Huntley, Accenture Global Managing Director, who is part of T4 Education’s initiative. Together with American Express and the Lemann Foundation, it aims to empower the next generation, guarantee access and promote the use of cutting-edge technologies and innovative practices to tackle global sustainability challenges.
EDUCATION EDITOR
Source: Exame
