MAE launches 2026 ASEAN Eco-Schools Viet Nam Award

The launch ceremony of the 2026 ASEAN Eco-Schools Viet Nam Award and the ASEAN Eco-Schools Network Conference will take place in Hanoi on 13 November.

Taking a comprehensive approach to environmental education

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will hold the launch ceremony of the 2026 ASEAN Eco-Schools Award in Viet Nam on 13 November at Tay Ha Noi Primary and Lower Secondary School in Xuan Phuong Ward, Hanoi.

The ceremony will take place in the morning and is expected to bring together more than 250 delegates, children and students. It will provide a platform for sharing experiences and connecting educational institutions interested in building green and environmentally friendly school environments.

In 2025, under the theme “Plastic Waste-Free Schools”, the Award received 294 applications, marking its largest and highest-quality edition to date in terms of scale, quality and outreach since its introduction in Viet Nam.

Building on these achievements, the 2026 Award expands its focus from a single central theme to a more comprehensive approach to environmental education, covering three themes: “Green Schools”, “Reducing Plastic Waste” and “Safe and Efficient Water Use”.

The broader assessment framework aims to encourage schools to move beyond isolated environmental activities and gradually integrate sustainable development principles into school management, teaching and everyday activities. Through this approach, the Award will continue to encourage educational institutions to share initiatives, replicate practical models and strengthen connections within the ASEAN Eco-Schools Network in Viet Nam.

Following the launch ceremony, delegates will visit the Eco-School model at Tay Ha Noi Primary and Lower Secondary School. The programme will showcase the school's garden spaces, an exhibition of educational publications and student-led green entrepreneurship projects.

The visit will also provide an opportunity for teachers and school managers to exchange experience in organising environmental education activities and encouraging students to take part in green initiatives within their schools.

Building a network of green schools

The ASEAN Eco-Schools Network Conference in Viet Nam will take place in the afternoon of the same day. It will serve as a forum for government agencies, schools and partners to discuss the current implementation of the Eco-Schools model, as well as the need for and proposed direction of establishing a national network.

The conference is expected to introduce the 2026 Viet Nam Eco-Schools Criteria, share experiences in developing eco-schools in several ASEAN countries and assess educational institutions' interest in joining the network.

Representatives of schools registering to join the network will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and commit to implementing initiatives during the 2026-2027 academic year. Discussions will focus on the network's objectives, values and membership; coordination mechanisms among government agencies, schools and partners; priority activities; and needs relating to resources, membership criteria and mechanisms for sustaining the network's operations.

The outcomes of group discussions will be compiled to help shape future directions and activities aimed at promoting environmental education nationwide.

Combining the launch ceremony with the ASEAN Eco-Schools Network Conference in Viet Nam is expected to strengthen connections among schools, facilitate the sharing of practical models and experience, and promote environmental education through concrete activities within school communities.

According to the Organising Committee, the event will be held in person at Tay Ha Noi Primary and Lower Secondary School, with an online option available for delegates based outside Hanoi. Interested agencies, organisations and schools are invited to register by 11 November 2026.

Register to attend in person or online and access event materials HERE.

Join the event online via Zoom |  Meeting ID: 980 0056 7924 | Passcode: A26.

For further information, visit the official website: Ecoschool.vn.

Minh Hanh