In this post we will be looking at the meaning of education for sustainable development, the roles and goals, Its Principles and importance of (ESD) education for sustainable development.
INTRODUCTION.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) empowers learners of all ages with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to address the interconnected global challenges we are facing, including climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, poverty and inequality. Learning must prepare students and learners of all ages to find solutions for the challenges of today and the future. “ESD is about the learning needed to maintain and improve our quality of life and the quality of life of generations to come. ESD enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future.” Education should be transformative and allow us to make informed decisions and take individual and collective action to change our societies and care for the planet. Education for Sustainable Development requires far-reaching changes in the way education is often practiced today.
WHAT IS EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
Education for Sustainable Development means including key sustainable development issues into teaching and learning; for example, climate change, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity, poverty reduction, and sustainable consumption.
It also requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower learners to change their behaviour and take action for sustainable development. Education for Sustainable Development consequently promotes competencies like critical thinking, imagining future scenarios and making decisions in a collaborative way.
THE ROLES OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
Sustainable development in each and every field is need of the hour. Research and innovation in education for sustainable development is very emerging and important part of education system. When we think of SD, education is an important area which can pave the way to achieve the desired goal of sustainable development. Therefore, education, research and innovation in this area to achieve defined goal of sustainable development is inevitable and can play a great role which are as follow:
- Enables research on sustainable development, as well as the necessary knowledge and skills and also norms of behaviour.
- It provides education about sustainability to student, so that leaders in the field of sustainable development can be produced.
- It empowers students with a better understanding of multiple dimensions of the issues and a satisfaction of making a positive difference to their environment and society.
- It involves students in the activities of the real world in which they deal with real situations and people rather than mere text-books, ensuring relevant educational experiences.
- It provides opportunities to each student to contribute their strength and develop leadership skills, cooperative learning, problem-solving, collective decision-making, and teamwork skills towards social and environmental issues.
- It provides a valuable opportunity to the students to channelize their energies and natural urges to understand debate and solve real-life issues.
GOALS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4 or Global Goal 4) is about quality education and is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in September 2015. The full title of SDG 4 is “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. SDG 4 has ten targets which are measured by 11 indicators. The seven “outcome-oriented targets or goals” are:
- Free primary and secondary education.
- Equal access to quality pre-primary education
- Affordable technical, vocational and higher education
- Increased number of people with relevant skills for financial success
- Elimination of all discrimination in education
- Universal literacy and numeracy
- Education for sustainable development and global citizenship.
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
Education for Sustainability is a learning and change process which is relevant to people, communities and organizations. Its ambition is to engage learners in thinking critically and creatively about the future as well as in considering the systemic changes that are needed to improve quality of life across the globe. The following are some of its principles which involves:
- Transformation and change
- Education for all and lifelong learning
- Systems thinking
- Envisioning a better future
- Critical thinking and reflection
- Participation
- Partnerships for change
Education for sustainability focuses on the use of genuine partnerships to build networks and relationships, and improve communication between different sectors of society.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT.
Education for Sustainable Development means adopting a more holistic approach to education with the aim of ‘creating a better world for this generation and future generations of all living things on planet Earth’. This allows every child to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable future.
- Education for Sustainable Development incorporates key environmental challenges like climate change into core subjects
- It modifies the teaching-learning process to a more all-encompassing approach.
- It also involves developing life-skills including leadership, communication and management; all of which are extremely important for personal development.
- It equips young people with these relevant capabilities in addition to their environmental knowledge.
- Provides the right information and education can change people’s values and behaviours by encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.
- It can also break the cycle of poverty, malnutrition and disease that affects so many worldwide.
WHY WE NEED EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
Education for Sustainable Development allows every human being to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable future. Education for Sustainable Development requires far-reaching changes in the way education is often practiced today.” ESD is essential for the achievement of a sustainable society and is therefore desirable at all levels of formal education and training, as well as in non-formal and informal learning.”