Education for Sustainable Development Policy for the Education Sector 2017

Abstract

ESD is a broad and evolving concept that can be broadly interpreted as holistic and transformational education that addresses learning content and outcomes, pedagogy and the learning environment to achieve societal transformation (UNESCO, 2014). Learning content involves integrating critical issues, such as climate change, poverty reduction, gender equality, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and sustainable consumption and production (SCP), into the curriculum. Learning outcomes encompass promoting core competencies such as critical and systemic thinking, collaborative decision-making, and taking responsibility for present and future generations. Pedagogy and learning environments require designing teaching and learning in an interactive, learner-centred way that enables exploratory, action-oriented and transformative learning. This includes reorganising learning environments – physical as well as virtual and online – to inspire learners to act for sustainability. Achieving societal transformation calls for empowering learners of any age, in any education setting, to transform themselves and the society they live in. This involves enabling a transition to greener economies and societies as well as empowering people to become ‘global citizens’ who engage and assume active roles, both locally and globally to create a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world.