Hanoi (VNA) - Hosting the ASEAN Vietnam Eco-School Award 2025 under the theme “Plastic Waste-Free School” offers Vietnam an opportunity to pioneer a model specifically addressing plastic waste.
Dr Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said eco-school models across ASEAN have begun incorporating plastic waste issues. However, a shared evaluation framework or coordinated regional campaign has yet to be established. While individual countries have launched their own initiatives, a unified standard model has not yet been formed.
Vietnam’s decision to organise the ASEAN Vietnam Eco-School Award 2025 under the theme “Plastic Waste-Free School” represents a proactive step towards developing a model that could help shape sustainable solutions and contribute practical initiatives to the region.
Expected formation of “Plastic Waste-Free Schools” network
At a press conference on January 27 announcing the award ceremony, Dr Tuan stressed that plastic is among the most serious sources of environmental pollution, particularly marine plastic debris and microplastics that threaten ecosystems and human health.
He cited a United Nations report showing that around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, much of it improperly treated and harmful to the environment and public health. Vietnam, he noted, is among the largest plastic waste generators in Southeast Asia.
He added that World Environment Day 2025, launched by the United Nations Environment Programme under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”, further underscored the urgency of the issue and highlighted Vietnam’s timely response through the organisation of the eco-school award.
Following its launch and a series of thematic workshops, the 2025 award attracted more than 500 in-person delegates and over 1,000 online connections nationwide, with more than 50,000 participants. A total of 294 entries were submitted by educational institutions across the country – 3.5 times higher than the 2024 figure – with noticeably improved quality.
Significantly, submissions came not only from well-resourced localities but also from mountainous and remote provinces such as Lao Cai, Cao Bang, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Tuyen Quang and Lang Son. This demonstrated the award’s role in encouraging disadvantaged areas to promote environmental education and the eco-school model.
Participation was also diverse, including public, private, inter-level, international and bilingual schools, reflecting efforts to expand the eco-school model across different educational settings and local conditions.
Opportunity for Vietnam to contribute to ASEAN environmental education
Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Editor-in-Chief of Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, said 2025 marked a significant milestone as the newspaper took on the role of organising environmental education events for the first time.
He noted that the award process demonstrated the strong potential of environmental education, not only in raising awareness but also in shaping mindsets, attitudes and green lifestyles among young people from an early age.
Notably, for the 2025–2028 period, Vietnam has been nominated to chair the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education. The newspaper will work closely with counterparts across ASEAN to organise national events, consultation workshops, expert dialogues and regional negotiations, gradually implementing environmental education initiatives endorsed at ASEAN ministerial meetings.
Representatives of the Green Future Fund, a supporting partner, described the award as a meaningful initiative placing environmental education and young people at the centre of sustainable development.
They emphasised that current environmental challenges, particularly plastic waste, require not only technological and policy solutions but also changes in awareness and behaviour, with schools serving as the most important foundation. The choice of the theme “Plastic Waste-Free School” reflects a long-term and appropriate approach capable of generating wide community impact.
The organising committee expressed appreciation for the responsible support of more than 80 media outlets, which published over 350 reports helping to spread the award’s message and social value.
The ASEAN Eco-School Award is held within the framework of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN), with each member state designated to host in turn. Winning schools will be honoured at a side event of the ASOEN Meeting or the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment.
The ASEAN Vietnam Eco-School Award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Hanoi on the morning of January 31, 2026./.
