Eco-Schools Scotland reports that 98% of local authority schools have now joined the movement.
Given that the Holyrood administration sees Eco-schools as a vector for its policies, and has told schools to sign up, this is no surprise, perhaps. Or the fact that 60% of such schools now have the silver award, and over 40% have green flags.
Michael Russell MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning writes:
The Eco-Schools programme engages children and young people in key issues including the environment, sustainability, global citizenship and the value of a low carbon future. The growing numbers of Eco-Schools in Scotland is inspiring and I would like to congratulate everyone involved and encourage you all to keep doing all you can to reduce the carbon footprint of your school, home and community.
Maybe; but you have to be naive to believe that all this means anything very much without knowing considerably more about what young people are learning – and doing as a result – a rather classic confusion of means and ends, I think.
Meanwhile, perhaps we should salute the 2% of schools who seem determined to hold out against being told what to do by politicians – a disposition that will still be needed when societies are sustainable – and one that used to be valued strongly in Scotland.
Happy days.
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