Mexico: Caring for water, like education, is everyone's task
In a country where water scarcity is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (National Union of Education Workers-SNTE) has taken a proactive stance. The union's campaign, ¡El agua es vida, el agua se agota! (Water is life, Water runs out!), launched in 2024, aims to encourage a culture of water conservation among students and their communities. To bolster this campaign, SNTE has signed a collaboration agreement with the National Water Commission (CONAGUA).
A call to action from the classroom
“Caring for water, like education, is everyone's task,” reaffirmed SNTE General Secretary, Alfonso Cepeda Salas. He emphasized that schools are pivotal spaces for social action, where new generations learn the importance of contributing to a better world. “Children and adolescents extend their knowledge to their families and communities,” Cepeda Salas added.
Collaborative efforts for a sustainable future
The SNTE-CONAGUA partnership, led by Cepeda Salas and CONAGUA's General Director Efraín Morales López, focuses on promoting the culture of saving, using, and reusing water from the classrooms. “Our connection with Earth and its environment is fundamental to our existence. Water is essential to maintain life on our planet, so we must act responsibly to care for and preserve it,” Cepeda noted.
Echoing “Teach for the Planet”
The SNTE's efforts align with Education International’s “Teach for the Planet” campaign, which aims to ensure that climate education, based on science and with a civic action focus, becomes as fundamental as teaching reading and writing. This global initiative underscores the crucial role educators play in climate action, inspiring students and communities to take meaningful steps towards sustainability.
Please sign the Education International Manifesto on Quality Climate Change Education for All here.
A pillar of transformation
The collaboration between SNTE and CONAGUA has been celebrated by Morales López, acknowledging the vital role educators play in this transformative process. He commanded them for their support to the water agreement called by Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum. “From the schools, they are going to help us build the human right to water for the people of Mexico,” he said.
As Mexico faces challenges linked to water scarcity, the SNTE's campaign serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the power of education in fostering a sustainable future.
