Telling Our Story Home » Submit a story » Calendars » FAQs » About » Stories by Region Asia » Europe & and Eurasia » Latin America & the Carribean » Middle East » Sub-Saharan Africa »
	USAID Information: USAID Country Page USAID Country Background Information: Serbia (176kb pdf) | Montenegro (156kb pdf) More Stories From Serbia & Montenegro FY 2009 Congressional Budget Justification (Montenegro) Selected USAID Reports (Serbia) Selected USAID Reports (Montenegro) External Links: U.S. State Department CIA World Factbook World Bank Group

Case Study

Challenge

Natural resource management and environmental quality in Serbia has suffered from years of war, economic sanctions, international isolation, and loss of trade. The country's ability to invest in environmental remediation and protection has been severely compromised. In 2001, Serbia faced critical shortages of electricity caused in large part by extremely low prices that artificially increased demand.

Photo:Vesna Bakic

Serb students with GS educational materials.

“The Program has full support from our Ministry as it backs the government's initiative to overcome energy shortages and environmental problems. The great interest of teachers and students significantly contributed to the successes of the Green Schools.”
- Gasa Knezevic, Minister of Education and Sport.

Initiative

USAID is working with educational institutions as part of a multi-ethnic and bilingual initiative to introduce energy and environmental education, as well as conservation, into the school curriculum in Southern Serbia. Serbian and Albanian teachers are teaching classes together for the first time and jointly working to improve energy efficiency.

10,000 pupils and 800 teachers participated in USAID’s Greens Schools program during the 2002/03 school year. The Green Schools program mobilized new resources for energy efficiency while introducing new teaching tools and concepts that encourage team work and the active participation of students in the educational process.

Results

Students, teachers and parents from all neighboring villages attended performances which highlighted the effects of dangerous pollutants, as well as the benefits of renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their application in everyday life. The enthusiasm of the students, teachers, school personnel and Razanj community members has created a stronger bond between the school faculty and the parents, and encouraged them to work together on environmental and other issues.

Print-friendly version of this page (257kb - PDF)

Back to Top ^