Background
The Context: Asia will create 229 million new jobs by 2030. The majority will require digital fluency, analytical thinking, and working knowledge of sustainable systems; skills that are currently absent from most public-school curricula across the region.
The Challenge: Thailand and Vietnam introduced STEM frameworks in 2012, but more than a decade later, uptake remains largely limited to private and alternative schools. Public schools continue to face underfunding, rigid curriculum structures, and a shortage of educators trained to teach beyond rote instruction.
In Thailand
The Conserve My Planet initiative embeds environmental sustainability and energy conservation into Thailand’s secondary education system. Implemented by Kenan Foundation Asia with support from Schneider Electric and Schneider Electric Foundation, this two-year program strengthens teacher capability through Enhanced Project-Based Learning (ePBL) training, localized curriculum development, and Professional Learning Community (PLC) mentoring to support continuous instructional improvement. The program integrates 21st-century skills—critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving—through STEM-based experiential learning. By equipping 110 secondary school teachers and engaging 13,200 students across Rayong and Chonburi, the initiative builds foundational green competencies including energy literacy, systems thinking, and sustainable decision-making, while enabling student-led environmental action projects that address authentic community challenges. The initiative further contributes to regional green workforce readiness through alignment with the Mekong Green Skills Accelerator, supporting long-term green skills development across Southeast Asia.
In Vietnam
The “Schneider PBL Conserve My Planet Vietnam” project, implemented by Kenan Foundation Asia in partnership with the Bac Ninh Department of Education and Training, supported by the Schneider Electric Foundation and Schneider Electric Vietnam, aims to promote environmental sustainability and renewable energy education in Vietnam’s vocational system. Running from September 2024 to October 2026, the project integrates Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodologies to strengthen teachers’ capacity, enhance students’ skills, and embed green knowledge into vocational curricula.
In the first year, the project trained 50 lecturers and reached 6,200 students across 11 vocational colleges in Bac Ninh Province through training-of-trainers, mentoring sessions, and student learning activities. The highlight event, the Green Energy Camp 2025, encouraged more than 200 vocational students to develop innovative STEM solutions and communication initiatives to improve energy efficiency and protect the environment. The project contributes to Vietnam’s national agenda on sustainable development and aligns with global climate action goals.
