Leading the Way in Sustainability: The Overseas School of Colombo Sets a Global Benchmark in Environmental Education and Practices
View(s):The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) is no stranger to setting exemplary standards in environmental education and sustainable practices and has earned many a notable distinction in recent times. OSC has yet again earned a remarkable global recognition, this time being the only school in the world to be awarded the prestigious MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS), in USA.
The MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability is awarded to institutions that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to sustainability that permeates all aspects of school life. At OSC, this is manifested through various innovative programmes that engage students, staff, and the broader community in meaningful environmental stewardship. This prestigious award reflects a rigorous evaluation process, including a comprehensive self-study and external peer review, attesting to the high standards of sustainability OSC maintains.
The rigorous process leading to this recognition involved an extensive self-study and external peer review, evaluating the school’s adherence to the Sustainability Criterion. This criterion demands a comprehensive and shared commitment to world-class strategic sustainable actions aimed at reducing the ecological footprint across all school areas. This commitment is visibly embraced by the governance, staff, parents, students, and the broader community associated with OSC.OSC also received the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award in December 2022, an international mark of excellence for environmental action and learning. To achieve this status, OSC adhered to the stringent Eco-Schools’ Seven Steps Framework, which involves the entire school in initiatives such as waste management, energy conservation, and water preservation. These efforts are designed to reduce the school’s ecological footprint while actively instilling lifelong sustainable habits that inspire the community at large.
At the heart of OSC’s environmental initiatives are its dedicated service groups supervised and overseen by key faculty members who have been instrumental in guiding students and leading every sustainability process to total success; especially David Poulus, Melinda Tondeur, Ian Lockwood, and Michelle LeBlanc. OSC also acknowledges the significant contributions made by Crishan Fernando and Geeth Bandara for their support and coordination.
One cannot overlook the most impressive Recycling & Sustainability group, which orchestrates significant recycling efforts every Thursday, by responsibly collecting, separating and processing materials like paper, glass, plastic and tins. Their activities support local recycling centres and contribute to spreading a broader ecological consciousness within the school and the community around it.
Another notable service group is the Gecko Reporters for the Environment, who staunchly advocate for sustainable practices through journalism and also spearhead cleaning the eco-friendly campus environment with a series of curated community clean-up projects. This group actively engages in regular clean-up activities, focusing on removing litter and debris from school grounds and surrounding areas. By organising these clean-up drives, they not only enhance the cleanliness and aesthetics of the campus but also promote environmental
awareness and responsibility among students. Thus, the Gecko Reporters for the Environment play a vital role in educating the community about the hazards of pollution, particularly from burning plastic, and have introduced sustainable alternatives that align with their goal of reducing environmental harm.
Adding to OSC’s notable milestones is the school recently winning the International Schools Category in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Annual Competition. This prestigious competition, organised by the Federation for Environmental Education, encourages students to engage in environmental journalism. OSC submitted an outstanding article in the 11 – 14-year-old category, earning a 500 Euro prize. The YRE programme, exclusively for Eco-Schools, promotes environmental awareness and action through investigative journalism and media skills. OSC’s victory highlights the school’s commitment to sustainability and empowers young students to become environmental advocates, showcasing their dedication to global ecological stewardship.
OSC’s proactive approach to make sustainability a cornerstone of its ethos extends to renewable energy projects, such as the installation of IoT devices across the campus to monitor and manage energy use more efficiently. The school has also embarked on ambitious projects like a new solar panel initiative to further enhance sustainability.
These accolades and activities are part of a broader sustainability strategy at OSC, and the recently launched state- of-the-art biogas plant is testament to this. This plant processes organic waste from the school’s canteen and staff rooms into biogas for cooking and biofertiliser for the gardens, demonstrating a fantastic practical application of renewable energy in daily school operations. Students develop a hands-on learning experience in utilising organic waste to tend their own gardens within the school, their own efforts yielding the fruits and vegetables used by the canteen to prepare meals. This project aligns with the school’s commitment to fostering a culture of sustainability, preparing students to become responsible global citizens.
Another key initiative as part of the sustainability strategy, is OSC’s immersive sustainable agriculture programme. All lower primary students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 participate in tending to their own raised garden beds; a hands-on learning experience, helping kids grasp the fundamentals of permaculture; the art of cultivating, harvesting, and cooking a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Utilising compost produced on-site, these young gardeners learn sustainable practices by nurturing their crops to realisation. Beyond nourishing themselves, the students contribute to the community; they generously donate part of their harvest to a local primary school and other individuals in need, fostering a spirit of giving and awareness reflective of broader social responsibilities. This initiative educates students about sustainable farming practices, also providing them with fresh, organic food, while in the process enhancing their learning environment and overall well-being.
OSC stands as a beacon of sustainability, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and education. By earning the prestigious MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability, the Eco- Schools Green Flag Award, and winning the International Schools Category in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Annual Competition, OSC has set a global benchmark for integrating eco-consciousness into its holistic educational framework. Through innovative programmes, dedicated service groups, and cutting-edge initiatives like the biogas plant, OSC has created an all-inclusive and impactful approach to sustainability. Through its exemplary practices, OSC ensues to lead the charge by example, by talking the talk, and walking the walk,
showcasing how educational institutions can play a crucial role in global environmental stewardship and helping re-shape responsible global citizens.
The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) is no stranger to setting exemplary standards in environmental education and sustainable practices and has earned many a notable distinction in recent times. OSC has yet again earned a remarkable global recognition, this time being the only school in the world to be awarded the prestigious MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS), in USA.
The MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability is awarded to institutions that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to sustainability that permeates all aspects of school life. At OSC, this is manifested through various innovative programmes that engage students, staff, and the broader community in meaningful environmental stewardship. This prestigious award reflects a rigorous evaluation process, including a comprehensive self-study and external peer review, attesting to the high standards of sustainability OSC maintains.
The rigorous process leading to this recognition involved an extensive self-study and external peer review, evaluating the school’s adherence to the Sustainability Criterion. This criterion demands a comprehensive and shared commitment to world-class strategic sustainable actions aimed at reducing the ecological footprint across all school areas. This commitment is visibly embraced by the governance, staff, parents, students, and the broader community associated with OSC.OSC also received the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award in December 2022, an international mark of excellence for environmental action and learning. To achieve this status, OSC adhered to the stringent Eco-Schools’ Seven Steps Framework, which involves the entire school in initiatives such as waste management, energy conservation, and water preservation. These efforts are designed to reduce the school’s ecological footprint while actively instilling lifelong sustainable habits that inspire the community at large.
At the heart of OSC’s environmental initiatives are its dedicated service groups supervised and overseen by key faculty members who have been instrumental in guiding students and leading every sustainability process to total success; especially David Poulus, Melinda Tondeur, Ian Lockwood, and Michelle LeBlanc. OSC also acknowledges the significant contributions made by Crishan Fernando and Geeth Bandara for their support and coordination.
One cannot overlook the most impressive Recycling & Sustainability group, which orchestrates significant recycling efforts every Thursday, by responsibly collecting, separating and processing materials like paper, glass, plastic and tins. Their activities support local recycling centres and contribute to spreading a broader ecological consciousness within the school and the community around it.
Another notable service group is the Gecko Reporters for the Environment, who staunchly advocate for sustainable practices through journalism and also spearhead cleaning the eco-friendly campus environment with a series of curated community clean-up projects. This group actively engages in regular clean-up activities, focusing on removing litter and debris from school grounds and surrounding areas. By organising these clean-up drives, they not only enhance the cleanliness and aesthetics of the campus but also promote environmental
awareness and responsibility among students. Thus, the Gecko Reporters for the Environment play a vital role in educating the community about the hazards of pollution, particularly from burning plastic, and have introduced sustainable alternatives that align with their goal of reducing environmental harm.
Adding to OSC’s notable milestones is the school recently winning the International Schools Category in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Annual Competition. This prestigious competition, organised by the Federation for Environmental Education, encourages students to engage in environmental journalism. OSC submitted an outstanding article in the 11 – 14-year-old category, earning a 500 Euro prize. The YRE programme, exclusively for Eco-Schools, promotes environmental awareness and action through investigative journalism and media skills. OSC’s victory highlights the school’s commitment to sustainability and empowers young students to become environmental advocates, showcasing their dedication to global ecological stewardship.
OSC’s proactive approach to make sustainability a cornerstone of its ethos extends to renewable energy projects, such as the installation of IoT devices across the campus to monitor and manage energy use more efficiently. The school has also embarked on ambitious projects like a new solar panel initiative to further enhance sustainability.
These accolades and activities are part of a broader sustainability strategy at OSC, and the recently launched state- of-the-art biogas plant is testament to this. This plant processes organic waste from the school’s canteen and staff rooms into biogas for cooking and biofertiliser for the gardens, demonstrating a fantastic practical application of renewable energy in daily school operations. Students develop a hands-on learning experience in utilising organic waste to tend their own gardens within the school, their own efforts yielding the fruits and vegetables used by the canteen to prepare meals. This project aligns with the school’s commitment to fostering a culture of sustainability, preparing students to become responsible global citizens.
Another key initiative as part of the sustainability strategy, is OSC’s immersive sustainable agriculture programme. All lower primary students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 participate in tending to their own raised garden beds; a hands-on learning experience, helping kids grasp the fundamentals of permaculture; the art of cultivating, harvesting, and cooking a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Utilising compost produced on-site, these young gardeners learn sustainable practices by nurturing their crops to realisation. Beyond nourishing themselves, the students contribute to the community; they generously donate part of their harvest to a local primary school and other individuals in need, fostering a spirit of giving and awareness reflective of broader social responsibilities. This initiative educates students about sustainable farming practices, also providing them with fresh, organic food, while in the process enhancing their learning environment and overall well-being.
OSC stands as a beacon of sustainability, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and education. By earning the prestigious MSA Programme of Distinction in Sustainability, the Eco- Schools Green Flag Award, and winning the International Schools Category in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Annual Competition, OSC has set a global benchmark for integrating eco-consciousness into its holistic educational framework. Through innovative programmes, dedicated service groups, and cutting-edge initiatives like the biogas plant, OSC has created an all-inclusive and impactful approach to sustainability. Through its exemplary practices, OSC ensues to lead the charge by example, by talking the talk, and walking the walk,
showcasing how educational institutions can play a crucial role in global environmental stewardship and helping re-shape responsible global citizens.
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