Monday 25 April 2022

‘We’re putting climate change at the heart of education’ says Education Secretary

“None of us can be in any doubt just how critical climate change has become,” Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi affirmed in a recent speech at the Natural History Museum.

Last week, a change to British education was announced with a new GCSE qualification, ‘Natural History', focusing on climate change and environment.

In his speech, Mr Zahawi revealed that this was not the only step the Department was taking when it comes to greener futures.

The National Education Park will launch in August, encouraging institutions to think of their grounds and land as an open ‘park’ with the potential to protect biodiversity.

This is combined with the Climate Leaders Award, he said, which will recognise the work of children and young people in protecting the environment.

“We’re going to speed up carbon literacy training throughout our education communities, so that by 2025 every nursery, school, college and university can put in place a climate action plan.”

The Education Secretary then said a ‘T Level’ will be introduced in September next year in agriculture, land management and production, explaining that this new type of qualification would be a combination of an A Level and an apprenticeship.

“Future generations will judge us on how we responded to this challenge. This strategy shows how we will not let them down,” he said.

“Education is how we unlock the unlimited potential of the next generation to make that difference.”