BENGALURU: Ten schools from across Karnataka were honoured with the ‘Best School’ award for environmental excellence under the Mission Prakriti: From Classrooms to Conservation – Leading the Change initiative, jointly organised by Samagra Shikshana Karnataka (SSK) and World Wide Fund (WWF) -India. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa presented the awards to the winners during a ceremony held at Vikas Soudha in Bengaluru on Monday.

Bangarappa said students should not study merely for marks, they should focus on understanding the subjects. “When awareness improves, results will follow,” he said.

Highlighting Japan’s waste management practices where citizens responsibly carry garbage and dispose it, he said, “Such discipline must be cultivated here as well.”

He emphasised that inculcating human values is the first step in education. From next year, a moral science textbook will be introduced for Classes 1 to 10.

The minister praised the merit and performance of government school teachers and urged students to make effective use of facilities provided by the government.

Students shared their experiences under Mission Prakriti, and how it taught them the importance of wildlife protection and environmental conservation. Commissioner for School Education Vikas Kishor Suralkar and WWF-India CEO Karan Bhalla were present at the event.