Nurturing Vegan Values

Citing the astounding example of a school in Chennai, Annesha Banerjee apprises us about the possibilities of a plant-based education and its plus points

- Annesha Banerjee

The world is transforming at an alarming rate and people are now taking charge, with climate strikes and protests being organised around the world on large scales. Children and the youth form a big part of this revolution, raising their voices for authorities to take responsibility for their future. Imagine a scenario where the upcoming generation is self-aware and voluntarily takes actions to restore harmony in nature. And what better place could there be than a school, where children spend all their day learning the basics of life and the world, and to be holistically conscious?

India’s first ‘plant-based’ school in Chennai, German International Academy (GIA), has achieved this feat by taking steps to support sustainability. This holistic education institute became completely plant-powered in the academic year 2017–2018. Going 100 per cent vegan, the school was awarded the ‘compassionate school’ title by PETA India in 2017 for incorporating compassion, empathy, and healthy eating habits into their curriculum.