Turkmenistan certifies its first 18 Green Schools, where students run eco-clubs and plant seedlings

Eighteen schools in Turkmenistan have become the country's first certified Green Schools, UNICEF said on 5 November. Six reached Level II (“Green and Sustainable School”) and 12 reached Level I (“Certified Green School”), completing the first national certification round. The Certification Council met at the UN Building in Ashgabat the week before.

Class green leaders and seedlings from home

The Green School Programme is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, and the pilot schools began preparing when it was signed in 2025. They are in Ahal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary velayats and in the cities of Ashgabat and Arkadag. Eco-clubs give students a leading role. In Lebap, class “green leaders” organize classmates for environmental activities and clean-up days. In Dashoguz, students bring and plant seedlings. One Ashgabat school has set aside plots where guests plant trees and flowers.

“Climate change education is at the heart of a Green School.” — Guvanch Kurbanov, specialist, Dashoguz Velayat Education Department

Schools have also upgraded buildings and grounds to be more climate-resilient. A Green Skills competition ran among the pilot schools, and a disaster risk reduction competition is open to all Green Schools nationwide. “Every child has the right to learn in a safe, healthy and sustainable environment,” said Jalpa Ratna, UNICEF's representative in Turkmenistan.

Homework for the certified schools

Certification came with recommendations. Schools were most often told to expand waste sorting and recycling, involve parents and the community more, and hold regular evacuation drills. Education departments in the velayats and cities will monitor progress. “The certified schools now have a clear path to the next level,” said Sapargeldy Durdyev, the program's national coordinator.

The Green Flag is still years away

Level III, called Sustainable Development Leader School and carrying the Green Flag, requires two years of consistently applying every part of the program. No school has reached it, and the first are expected in two to three years. UNICEF says it will keep supporting the ministry and expand the program to more schools. It did not say how many students attend the 18 schools. UNICEF's other work in the country includes community social work helping children with disabilities.