FEE Teacher Awards 2023-2024

The 17 awarded teachers from 11 countries have all been involved in one of FEE’s three educational programmes for at least 5 years, to be eligible the institution in which the teacher works must have received either a Green Flag Award, LEAF Award or has produced a YRE competition finalist/winner at the national level.

The 17 teachers were chosen for their exemplary practices which integrate ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) into every aspect of school life, or what is known as a whole institution approach (WIA). This involves including climate change as a cross-cutting theme across various curriculum subjects, employing hands-on, experiential learning techniques, and fostering community and home involvement. The award-winning teachers were praised by the judges for their long-term dedication, comprehensive curricular linkages, and creative teaching methods including gamification, challenge-based learning, and cross-curricular projects. Additionally, their ability to engage students of different age groups, from young children to older students, and instil critical life skills was recognised. While teachers are characteristically modest in reporting their achievements, their leadership, impact on student behaviour and learning outcomes achieved were outstandingly visible in the stories and projects they shared.

The seventeen awarded teachers for 2023-2024 FEE Teacher Awards:

Cheng Bee Selim-Dela Peña, Bahamas
Edd Moore, England
Kwesi Boahene-Acheampong, Ghana
Erika Tušek Vrhove, Croatia
Svjetlana Celinšćak, Croatia
Chong Hoo Fong, Malaysia
Lew Yin Yin, Malaysia
Ramona Mercieca, Malta
Octavio Cesar Jauregui Tapia, Mexico
Maria Soledad Del Rosario Logozzo, México
José De Jesús González Luna, México
Olivera Lučić, Montenegro
Aziezah Essop, South Africa
Esther Mlungi Stanslaus, Tanzania
Gülperi Fatih, Turkey
Nafiye Sicacik, Turkey
Sevil Ercan, Turkey

"Empowering students to take ownership of their environment through education is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching. The Eco-Schools programme has not only transformed our school grounds but has also inspired a new generation of environme

"When we instill genuine passion and character in our students, our environmental voice grows stronger. It's challenging but possible with perseverance and dedication."

"I am deeply honored and grateful for this recognition. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the environmental education community and to inspire my students to become passionate advocates for sustainability."

"Eco-Schools is at the heart of our school. We want every child to leave Damers with climate awareness and the impact they can have on local, national and global environmental topics making a real difference for everyone. All our sustainability work

"The fate of the Earth is in our own hands. Therefore, with our very own hands, our work, our ideas, and our imagination - we should start an immediate action to save the Earth! With your own steps, with your own touch, your every breath and your he

"The Eco-Schools programme has empowered our students to take active roles in combating climate change and protecting our environment!"

"The main challenge for teachers is to generate empathy in students in every way, for that we must innovate our teaching dynamics and connect with their interests."

"It is an illusion that people destroy nature. People do not destroy nature, they destroy their own habitat. Children should be taught at an early age to protect their own habitat. This is not a choice, it is an obligation. I will continue to c

"Waste generation is inevitable. Proper waste management saves the environment. I am committed to instilling in my students' proper habitual environmental practices, especially managing plastic waste for safe haven for the future generations. Our li

"Education is a lifelong journey of learning that calls for continuous innovation and exploration to fully integrate with the rhythm of life. If I cannot take my students to see the world, I will bring the world to them."

"I believe in the capacity, creativity and innovation of our students in order to create solutions for the environmental crisis we are facing  in Veracruz, so I feel this award is a recognition of the path we work together."

"I think that the preschool period is a magical time in human life where development and rapid and permanent behavioral changes occur. I know that the education provided during this period will be fundamental in raising planet-protective individuals

"Environmental education should be considered an educational priority, we can positively influence to form communities that transform and transcend the care of our environments."

"Empower students to lead in sustainability through knowledge, action, and critical thinking. By fostering a deep connection with the environment, I inspire them to become lifelong stewards and responsible global citizens."

"Sowing seeds of change as an educator and project coordinator, I inspire sustainable lifestyles. It's never too little to care and do our share."

"We enjoyed every activity we did in our eco school activities with our students. I am proud to be a FEE teacher."

"Only by continuously connecting students with nature, increasing knowledge, improving skills and developing awareness and attitudes we can achieve a developmental type of environmental education for a sustainable future."

“The Eco-Schools and Young Reporters for Environment programmes are both in their thirtieth year. Through the FEE Teachers Award, we aim to highlight professional excellence, celebrate achievements, and spread inspirational stories amongst stakeholders. This is not a competition awarded to a select few, it is the recognition of teachers’ efforts and a celebration of their work and the impact they have had every day over the last 30 years.
”

— Dr Pramod Kumar Sharma, Senior Education Director, FEE