Escola Azul Cabo Verde

The Cabo Verde Blue Schools National Coordination was established in 2021, within the framework of the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Global Network (UNESCO/IOC). The programme is jointly coordinated by the Atlantic Technical University (UTA) and the Instituto do Mar (IMAR), two leading institutions in marine science, ocean literacy and higher education in Cabo Verde.

As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in the central Atlantic Ocean, Cabo Verde has a deep historical and cultural connection to the ocean. The national programme promotes interdisciplinary, place-based and inquiry-driven ocean literacy education, engaging students, teachers and coastal communities across the archipelago's nine inhabited islands. Activities are aligned with the priorities of the UN Ocean Decade and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Key areas of focus include marine biodiversity, fisheries sustainability, ocean conservation, climate change adaptation, and ocean-based livelihoods. The programme builds on existing scientific infrastructure, including the Cape Verde Algae Bank (BACV), BIOCATALOG and the WASCAL Master's Programme on Climate Change and Marine Sciences, to connect formal education with real-world ocean research and community engagement.

We are also currently exploring a partnership with the Associação Olho Largo (Porto Novo, Santo Antão), whose TXILUF! project uses stop-motion animation as a tool for ocean literacy education in schools across Cabo Verde (22 schools, 500+ children, internationally awarded films). This collaboration has the potential to significantly strengthen and expand the national Blue Schools programme, particularly in rural and remote island communities.