Vietnam’s 2025 ASEAN Eco-Schools Award ceremony scheduled for this weekend

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the award ceremony.

Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, head of the ministry’s Department of International Cooperation, said the ASEAN Eco-Schools Award is one of the activities under the framework of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment.

“The award has truly become a broad-based action movement within the education system.

“We can expect the formation of a network of pioneering schools that directly promote environmental education aligned with Vietnam’s and ASEAN’s sustainable development commitments,” Tuan said.

According to Tuan, the 2025 awards attracted strong and serious participation nationwide, with 294 applications, representing a 3.5-fold increase compared to the previous edition.

The overall quality of submissions also improved significantly.

Award-winning schools are located across 20 provinces and cities, covering all regions of the country, from mountainous and midland areas to lowlands, coastal regions, the Central Highlands, and the Mekong Delta.

“These results demonstrate that the Eco-School – Plastic-Waste-Free School model is highly adaptable and can be effectively implemented across diverse socio-economic and ecological conditions,” Tuan added.

Explaining the choice of the theme ‘Plastic-Waste-Free Schools,’ Tuan said plastic is one of the most serious sources of environmental pollution, particularly marine plastic waste and microplastics, which negatively affect ecosystems and human health.

According to United Nations reports, approximately 300 million metric tons of plastic are produced each year, a large proportion of which is not properly managed, causing adverse impacts on the environment and public health.

Vietnam is among the countries with the highest volumes of plastic waste in Southeast Asia.

Notably, in 2025, World Environment Day, launched by the United Nations Environment Program and celebrated annually on June 5, carried the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution,’ further highlighting the timeliness, commitment, and proactive response demonstrated by Vietnam through the organization of this year’s awards.

Currently, Eco-School models across ASEAN have begun integrating plastic waste topics, but there is no common assessment framework or region-wide campaign.

Many countries have implemented isolated initiatives, yet a unified standard model has not been established.

“This is an opportunity for Vietnam to pioneer a model with a clear and substantive focus on plastic waste, helping to shape sustainable solutions and contribute initiatives for the entire region,” Tuan emphasized.