As part of its longstanding commitment to environmental education, Tainan City has helped local schools apply for US-Taiwan Eco-campus Partnership Program (EPP) certifications. The Program, which is jointly promoted by the Executive Yuan’s Environmental Protection Administration, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), aims to promote eco-friendly and sustainable learning environments. We are pleased to report that Tainan did exceptionally well in 2024, as seen by the seven additional elementary schools that were recognized internationally as Eco-Campuses. The Tainan Municipal Anping District Yizai Elementary School, Yuguang Branch, and Tainan Tzu-Chi Elementary School were awarded Eco-Campus Green Flags; Gueinan Elementary School, Sancih Elementary School, Sinsheng Elementary School, and Nanzih Experimental Elementary School won Silver Flags, and Koupi Experimental Elementary School obtained a Bronze Flag.
According to Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, the EPP seeks to increase students’ awareness of environmental issues and relevant problem-solving skills through the implementation and promotion of environmental education courses that uphold the concept of “starting from campuses, changing the world”. Students may create a larger force for environmental protection by influencing the actions of their families and, eventually, society. In addition to expressing his approval and appreciation for the schools that were awarded international accreditations this year, Huang emphasized the importance of continuing to advance ecological education to spread the idea of sustainability from campuses and connect domestic schools with the rest of the world.
Director-general Cheng Hsin-hui of the Tainan City Government Bureau of Education explained that with “incorporating education into practical action” as its core principle, the EPP advocates for the integration of environmental protection awareness into classrooms and encourages students to learn more about and participate in major global issues. Besides attaching particular importance to partnerships between students, teachers, and communities, the Program is committed to putting the UN SDGs into practice through environmental actions and establishing sustainable living models. Innovations in education are demonstrated through curriculums that combine local features with global issues.
Tainan City has an impressive list of certified schools. After Hushan Experimental Elementary School was granted a permanent Green Flag in 2023, two more schools (Tainan Municipal Anping District Yizai Elementary School, Yuguang Branch, and Tainan Tzu-Chi Elementary School) received Green Flags in 2024. So far, the city has accumulated a total of 3 Green Flags, 26 Silver Flags, and 4 Bronze Flags.