Education for sustainable development in all countries in the world has been widely carried out. There are many opportunities for the development of ESD, but also four major thrusts.
First, Promotion and improvement of basic education. Access to basic education remains a problem for many, especially girls and illiterate adults. The quality of basic education must improve to focus on imparting knowledge, skills, values and perspectives throughout a lifetime that encourage and support citizens to lead sustainable lives.
Second, Reorienting existing education programmes. Rethinking and revising education from nursery school through university to include more principles, knowledge, skills, perspectives and values related to sustainability in each of the three realms – social, environmental, and economic – is important to our current and future societies. This should be done in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner. The best chance of success of education for sustainable development lies not in a separate programme but in embedding its vision within other initiatives.
Third, Developing public understanding and awareness of sustainability. To make progress towards more sustainable societies requires a population that is aware of the goals of sustainability and has the knowledge and the skills to contribute towards those goals. Informed citizenry and knowledgeable consumers can help communities and governments enact sustainability measures and move towards more sustainable societies.
Fourth, Training. All sectors of the workforce can contribute to local, regional and national sustainability. The development of specialized training programmes to ensure that all sectors of the workforce have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their work in a sustainable manner has been identified as a critical component of education for sustainable development. |
