VIBGYOR Group of Schools, a leading chain of K-12 schools known for its quality education and academic excellence, has recently launched Asia’s first Climate Academy at VIBGYOR High in Goregaon. The launch event took place on April 17th and 18th and was graced by Matthew Pye – the founder of The Climate Academy, Brussels, Belgium.
The programme aims to educate and train a few selected teachers as master trainers to educate further students, parents, and fellow teachers’ communities to understand and tackle the problem of the climate crisis in India. This initiative will be implemented throughout the academic year and aims to offer opportunities for students to learn, understand, and take action. It was launched specifically for the Academic Year 2023-24 at VIBGYOR High in Goregaon but will eventually be extended to other VIBGYOR schools across the country, according to an official statement.
Selected VIBGYOR Group of Schools teachers in Mumbai participated in a two-day blended learning workshop facilitated. The workshops covered topics such as climate change, planetary boundaries, a systematic approach towards climate change, and climate justice, among others. A comprehensive teacher-student guide that included a curriculum designed by the Belgium team was shared to support the learning process. This guide provided a structured framework for students to engage with the subject matter meaningfully while enabling teachers to guide their students through the programme effectively.
Commenting on this unique programme, the Director of Academic Operations, Initiatives & International Partnerships, VIBGYOR Group of Schools, said:
We are thrilled to have successfully launched Asia’s first Climate Academy at our school. Climate concern is one of the most critical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, with rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events posing significant threats to our planet and society. To address this challenge, we must take bold actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to clean energy, protect natural resources, and promote sustainable lifestyles.
The climate crisis is unfolding with increasing power and force. The science is precise: nations like India and cities like Mumbai will be hit the soonest and the hardest. The Climate Academy will provide your schools with a unique systems vantage point to see the critical dimensions of the situation, and it will empower them to respond with leverage.
Teaching students to think about the climate crisis in broader, more complete terms will equip them with the knowledge to make a meaningful difference. This approach aims to empower students to become agents of change in their environments by identifying and addressing the root causes of the problem. The statement further mentioned that the Climate Academy is just one step towards equipping the next generation with the knowledge and skills to tackle pressing environmental challenges and create a more sustainable and equitable future.
The Climate Academy is dedicated to educating individuals and organizations on the critical issue of climate change. With a comprehensive approach that covers scientific, economic, and social aspects, the institute aims to empower people with the knowledge and tools they need to act and create positive change in their communities. It is on a mission to foster a deeper understanding of climate change’s causes and consequences and inspire individuals and organizations to take meaningful steps towards a more sustainable future.
Sharing insights and thoughts on this historic launch, Matthew Pye added:
The opening of the very first Climate Academies in Asia with VIBGYOR schools is a truly exciting moment for everyone involved. The openness and ambition shown by everyone I met in Mumbai this week have been so energising. My messages home to Brussels have been full of appreciation and admiration. I respect the clarity and vision of all the staff, and I love the bright and engaged responses of all the students.
Founded in 2004, VIBGYOR offers a unique range of world-class educational services for the holistic development of students in curricular and co-curricular studies across all its schools. The platform caters to students from Grades 1 to 12 and VIBGYOR Kids to the Pre-Primary segment with a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 on average. It provides a diverse spectrum of national and international levels of education in affiliation with CISCE, CBSE and Cambridge International.
