The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on January 31 held a ceremony in Hanoi to present Vietnam’s ASEAN Eco-Schools Award 2025 under the theme “Plastic waste-free schools”. The event honored 60 outstanding schools nationwide and underscored the central role of education in shaping awareness, changing behavior and promoting green and sustainable development values from younger generations to the wider community.
Schools seen as key platform for plastic waste reduction
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh said the ASEAN Eco-Schools Award is an important initiative under the framework of cooperation of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN), aimed at promoting environmental education and developing green, sustainable school models across the region.
Vietnam’s organization of the award reflects its strong commitment to ASEAN cooperation while contributing to the integration of sustainable development values into the national education system, he said.
With the theme “Plastic Waste-Free Schools,” the 2025 award directly addresses one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges, the deputy minister said. Plastic waste is not only an environmental issue but also a shared community responsibility, in which young people play a key role.
Placing schools, teachers and students at the center of action reflects a long-term vision, as early education and behavior change form the foundation for a green and sustainable future, he added.
According to the ministry, the award-winning schools are located across a wide range of provinces and cities, covering all regions of the country — from mountainous and midland areas to plains, coastal zones, offshore islands, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta.
The results demonstrate the strong outreach and broad acceptance of the eco-school and plastic waste-free school model nationwide, highlighting the award’s inclusiveness and social value, the ministry said.
Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh also commended students — described as the future of the country — for their active role in initiating, participating in and promoting environmental protection efforts and plastic waste reduction. Beyond being participants, students act as “environmental ambassadors,” helping inspire positive change within their families and communities, he said.
Sixty schools nationwide receive ASEAN Eco-Schools Award
At the ceremony, organizers presented awards to 60 schools nationwide. In 2025, the number of participating schools increased 3.5 times compared to the previous year, with nearly 300 educational institutions registering, reflecting the growing reach of the ASEAN Eco-Schools model.
According to the selection council, many initiatives from schools in remote and disadvantaged areas were built on simple yet effective actions, such as waste sorting at source, material reuse, reducing single-use plastics in school canteens, and integrating environmental protection into extracurricular activities linked to local conditions.
Commenting on the significance of the award, Le Thai Ha, Executive Director of the For a Green Future Foundation under Vingroup, said addressing plastic waste requires changes in awareness and behavior, with schools serving as the most important foundation where green values are formed naturally, sustainably and with long-term impact.
The top three award-winning schools this year were Ha An Primary School in Quang Ninh province; Tay Ha Noi Primary and Lower Secondary School in Hanoi; and FPT Primary, Lower and Upper Secondary School in Bac Ninh province.
Representatives of Ha An Primary School, which won first prize in the primary school category, said the recognition was both an honor and a motivation to continue fostering environmental awareness among students for future generations.
Building on the award’s success, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh called on ministries, sectors, local authorities, educational institutions and relevant organizations to strengthen coordination and expand the ASEAN Eco-Schools model. He also urged the integration of environmental education, the circular economy, and sustainable development into teaching and learning activities to support the country’s green development goals in the new phase.
The ASEAN Eco-Schools Award is an initiative under the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN). Under the common mechanism, the ASEAN Secretariat assigns each member state to organize the award. Winning schools are recognized at side events of ASOEN meetings or the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment. |
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