Yucatan commemorates World Environmental Education Day

Ticul, Yucatán, January 27, 2021.- With the delivery of the Sustainable School certification to the Ticul campus of the Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Yucatán (Cobay), the Secretariats of Sustainable Development (SDS) and Education (Segey) join forces to strengthen the culture of sustainability, which is a priority in the Government of Mauricio Vila Dosal.

On World Environmental Education Day, the head of the SDS, Sayda Rodríguez Gómez, indicated that the current state administration has established strategies, in alliance with academic and research institutions, to cement a new generation of citizens with greater awareness ecological and knowledge of alternatives for caring for the environment.

Accompanied by the head of the Segey, Loreto Villanueva Trujillo, and the General Director of Cobay, Marco Antonio Pasos Tec, the official endorsed the State Government’s commitment to education and, especially, to the promotion of an environmental culture that allow us to advance in the responsible use of our natural resources.

“Supporting initiatives that promote a sustainable culture, seeking a better quality of life and this, in turn, will help us to have a more environmentally friendly society,” said Rodríguez Gómez before the Undersecretary of Government and Political Development of the Government of the State, Carmen González Martín.

In his speech, Pasos Tec underlined the willingness of the Ticul campus management and teaching staff, as well as the students, to train in these issues and, above all, to structure good practices that will benefit not only the educational community, but the entire town.

He also highlighted that, so far in the 2020-2021 cycle, the creation of organic gardens, ecological information projects, and recycling actions have been promoted, in order to obtain the Sustainable Schools certification.

Likewise, he recognized training received from the SDS and the willingness to join forces, since this shows that the best way to do things well is to work in an inter-ministerial manner.

For his part, González Martín explained that the union of wills guarantees good results and proof of this is that the state is located in the first national place of trust of its population .

Last year, Sustainable Schools reached the Cobay Schools of Ticul, Chankom, and Kanasín, which means that 1,615 young people, in addition to 45 teachers and administrative staff, received instruction on environmental awareness, good practices, integral management of solid waste, responsible consumption, among others.

This scheme is related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and includes actions of reforestation and donation of native trees, corresponding to the Arborizing Yucatan Strategy, as well as the promotion of different activities related to the academic program.

In 2020, 53 talks and workshops were given to 756 teachers, mothers, and fathers, as well as administrative personnel and 8,224 primary, secondary and high school students, in Sinanché, Umán, Río Lagartos, Bokobá, Mérida, Progreso , Kanasín, Timucuy, Ticul and Chankom.

In the case of Cobay Ticul, there is already a botanical garden, an interactive didactic space made up of four different ecosystems where visitors can appreciate and learn about the operation and importance of environmental sustainability in a practical and interesting way. Soon, those from Kanasín and Chankom will receive their accreditation.

Regarding the 69 remaining schools, it will proceed in stages, based on regions and areas already established, training the Cobay staff for the implementation and development of the scheme.

In addition, at the end of January, certificates will be delivered to 16 educational institutions that completed their process in Bokobá, Umán, Río Lagartos, Sinanché, Timucuy, Ticul, Kanasín, Chankom, and Mérida, for the benefit of 3,238 students.