Menteri Besar of Selangor, Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari upon receiving Sejahtera Edition of the book entitled, 'My Green School: An Outline Supporting the Educating for Gross National Happiness (GNH) Initiative' from the Chairman, Workers' Institute of Empowerment (WISE) Senator Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud at his office concurred that by returning consciously to the wisdom and essential elements of 'My Green School' that Malaysia will not be swallowed by the frenzy of greed, consumption, and environmental degradation that has gripped the world. Education is the key and likely the only means through which that essential change of consciousness can occur.
Amirudin said, "I would go so far as to say that no one else in this country is as well and uniquely positioned to fulfil that noble aspiration of My Green School than the teachers. They truly hold the golden key in their hands. It is not only overwhelming physical forces like climate change that we now face. Equally, if not more, powerful and threatening are mental and psychological challenges of which our parents never dreamed, which underlie and drive the physical changes our planet now faces."
The book, My Green School authored by Bhutan's former Minister of Education, Dr. Thakur Powdyel has been translated into 'Bahasa Melayu' by Dr. Zulkifly Baharom. It is based on the experiences achieved by nurturing Green Schools for Green Bhutan. A green school engages, empowers all the elements of learner including natural, intellectual, academic, social, cultural, spiritual, aesthetic and moral, producing in effect a GNH graduate who displays the qualities of usefulness and gracefulness.
In a nutshell, Powdyel summarised "When such a graduate enters the larger society, he or she should be able to release much goodwill, positive energy and make the society and the world a better place to live in. It is the vision of a more hearing, more seeing and a more feeling world built on a new ethic, new educational civilisation. GNH is the call of the North Star, vision of a life more beautiful, a world more sustainable and meaningful. Nurturing Green School is a crucial step in that direction."
For Malaysia, the month of Ramadan is a "golden opportunity" to make a shift toward a greener, sustainable, healthier and non-wasteful lifestyle as an act of devotion.
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