GEMS Education Teacher becomes UAE's First United Nations - accredited Climate Change Teacher
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A teacher at GEMS FirstPoint School – The Villa (FPS) has become the first in the UAE to be appointed a United Nations-accredited Climate Change Teacher. Candice Wright, Head of Humanities and GEMS Geography Network Leader at the Dubai-based school, can now deliver up-to-date climate change lessons to students and share best practice with fellow teaching staff. The appointment is in line with FPS’ strong focus on sustainability and pioneering approach to working with external and industry partners to deliver an enhanced curriculum.
The UN Climate Change Teacher Academy is a new programme currently on trial in the UK, with its Climate Change Teacher Course launched in April 2019 and free for primary and secondary school teachers throughout the world. Discovering the opportunity online, Ms Wright took the initiative and gained the support of FPS’ principal, Matthew Tompkins, who encouraged her to complete the course, which is made up of five units accredited by the One United Nations Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn).
Candice Wright said, “I am thrilled to be involved with the UN Climate Change Teacher Academy. The importance of climate change cannot be underestimated and its imperative that our children understand these issues and have the knowledge to make positive decisions which can bring about adaptations. I have been an advocate of climate change awareness and ensuring my students are equipped to face future challenges for a long time. My work with UN CC will now allow me to do this to a greater depth and ensure the best possible learning opportunities for my students”.
Matthew Tompkins, Principal of GEMS FirstPoint School – The Villa, said “We are immensely proud of Candice and her pioneering work in this area. Climate Change and Sustainability are areas that all industries are required to consider and make morally responsible decisions about. At GEMS FirstPoint School we are inspiring the leaders of the future, Candice’s expertise in this area will support the development of all at our School”.
The UN Climate Change Teacher Academy is being delivered by Harwood Education, in partnership with UN CC:Learn, and sponsored by YPO in the UK. Through the programme, teachers are able to not only teach their pupils vital lessons about climate change, but also earn fully-funded CPD and certification from the United Nations. Ultimately, they will be able to encourage and generate social innovation, and prepare today’s youth to protect the planet.
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For further information about the Climate Change Teacher Course, visit: http://www.unccteacheracademy.com or contact:
Melanie Harwood
Tel: (+44) 7595 099 144
Email: info@harwoodeducation.com
About UN:CCLearn
UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organisations. At the global level, the partnership supports knowledge-sharing and the dissemination of common climate change learning materials. It coordinates training interventions through collaboration of UN agencies and other partners, contributing to a growing critical mass of professionals and individuals with the necessary understanding of the basics of climate change to inform their decisions and take effective action.
At the national level, UN CC:Learn supports countries in addressing learning priorities relevant to their national climate change action plans by developing tailored learning strategies, in collaboration with national education and training institutions. UN CC:Learn is operating in over 20 countries and is hosted by the UN Institute for Training and Research.
About Harwood Education (www.harwoodeducation.com)
Harwood Education delivers innovative outstanding education resources, programmes, training and learning schemes to the entirety of the education sector as well as direct to the home learning sector, both in the UK and International markets. Harwood Education follows a stringent joint venture and licensing process, both of which assure schools of a high standard of quality in both product and customer service.
About YPO
YPO, which specialises in providing products and services to help run schools, including training for teachers, is the sponsor of the initial course trials and the official education resource provider for the UN CC:Learn education programme. Delivered by Harwood Education, this ambitious project will seek to develop a comprehensive package of interactive classroom materials on climate change for school teachers and children.
About GEMS Education
GEMS Education is one of the world’s oldest and largest K-12 private education providers. It is a highly-regarded choice for quality private education in the Middle East and North Africa region. As a company founded in the UAE in 1959, it holds an unparalleled track-record of providing diverse curricula and educational choices to all socio-economic means. GEMS Education now owns and operates 49 schools and educates over 124,000 students in the MENA region; and through its growing network of schools as well as charitable contributions is fulfilling the founder’s vision of putting a quality education within the reach of every child.