Stakeholders and participants of the Capacity-Building Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (CAP-ESD) met in Harare on 31st January 2020 to review their Change Projects. Change Projects are institutional change initiatives to support the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into teacher education.
Participants reviewed each other’s project presentations. They examined the Change Projects’ contribution to national policies and strategies, alignment to national and institutional curricula, and how the ESD project was fostering lifelong learning and competencies relevant to 21st century challenges. The presentations showed that there is progress towards the inclusion of ESD in teacher education curricula and activities. Participants of the capacity-building programme appreciated the UNESCO Sustainability Starts with Teachers intervention for facilitating moves towards curriculum transformation.
Change Projects presented included improvements for teacher education focussing on topics such as Engineering for Sustainable Development, teaching and learning programmes for incarcerated children, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, hydroponic systems in Science education, and integration of ESD into the industrial attachment programme for students.
Peer responses and reviews showed that most projects met the standards set for a successful ESD Change Project Initiative. However, peer reviewers also identified that more attention should be given to the fostering of lifelong education and inter-departmental engagement and communication within the institutions in all Change Projects. Suggestions were given by peers and stakeholders to help improve each project in line with sustainable development goals.
Mr. J. Juro from the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council presented on the Continuous Assessment (CA) Framework of Education. The current examination system was criticised for training students to pass examinations rather than for developing critical thinking skills. Continuous assessment allows for flexibility in assessing the real-life competencies of students. Mr. Juro said:
“Continuous Assessment is currently being developed to constitute 30% of the overall examination score”
Julia Heiss, UNESCO ROSA Education Programme Specialist said:
“Let us transform our students, let us not lose sight of that. We need an education system that prepares our students for sustainable life skills”
She commended the participants for showing passion and energy towards their Change Projects.
The UNESCO programme is helping to create synergies among institutions. Inroads have been made towards successfully integrating ESD into the teacher education system.
For more information, please contact: c.chikunda@unesco.org
Sydney Williams Primary school…
we would like to do a change project on planting natural trees around the area
O plantio de árvores é um projecto de alta estima porque elas são a solução do melhoramento do clima.
That was good, is also my hope that the three countries taking part now will also produce remarkable work at the end
It is good that whatever is being done should be included in the curriculum to make sure that change is at hand.
This will help improve people’s living standards.
Change project will indeed bring about change in our communities.
Change project will indeed bring about change in our communities.
The change project initiative is a positive step towards the kind of education required nowadays. We pray for a speedy progress, more especially in the teacher training curriculum to help produce ESD skilled teachers. In Eswatini, I greatly appreciate the National Curriculum Centre (NCC) for infusing ESD concepts in the textbooks they produce. Higher education must hasten their role of producing ESD conscious teachers, it’s long overdue.
Intergrating change project in teaching and learning process was good in order to clarity concepts in social and environmental sciences .
Intergrating change project in teaching and learning process can assist to clarify concepts in *Education* cycle s.
Intergrating change projects in teaching and learning process assist to clarify concepts in *Education *cycle.
Change project is an institutional change initiative and therefore needs to be collectively development with others in the institution.
Intergrating change projects in teaching and learning process assist in clarifying concepts in *Education*cycles.
Realmente a educação cujo ensino é meramente teórico é prepetuar a pobreza no país. O aprender fazendo actos práticos para seu autodesenvovimento, autosustento, sim será EDS.
Desenvolver habilidades para vida, é estar alinhado a EDS.