UN's Sustainable Development Goals and Transformative Education

The United Nations’ new Sustainable Development Goals were approved at the UN 2030 World Summit of Sustainable Development at the end of September. These objectives include ending poverty and hunger, as well as promoting health and welfare.

The fourth goal deals with education.The most important thing is to ensure that all girls and boys get completely free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes (4.1). Goal 4.7 is aiming to change the curricula and learning goals and contents both in developed and developing countries: 

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

According to the general theme of sustainability seven out of the total 17 goals deal directly with sustainable development and global responsibility from the environmental point of view. These goals are regarded as major challenges in respect with the quality of life and the future of our planet. Failure to reach these development goals would hinder achieving the other goals as well.

In the new Finnish Core Curriculum of Basic Education it’s stated that

The global education within basic education creates, for its part, the foundation for equitable and sustainable development in line with the United Nations development goals. p. 16

The UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are perfectly suited to be used as authentic learning material. For example, in learning English as foreign language they offer current vocabulary and lots of support material for discussions and for presenting one’s own opinions. In cross curricular learning projects the goals can be divided to be studied in different grades and school subjects. Learning outcomes and created guidelines to promote sustainable development are shared and brought into use. Everybody at school work together to achieve the goals and implement the guidelines in the spirit of active citizenship and transformative learning.

In Finland UNESCO ASPnet schools work in the vanguard in implementing the UN goals in local curricula. The aims of the ASPnet school network focus on two themes: Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development. GCE deals with human rights, education for peace and global responsibility. It’s transformative and empowering and its goal is to give learners the opportunity and competencies to realize their rights and obligations to promote a better world and future. ESD aims at reorienting education worldwide, so that it provides everyone with the opportunity to acquire the values, attitudes, skills and knowledge that are needed to contribute to sustainable development.

The aims of ASPnet schools are to integrate GCE and ESD in the school curricula and learning processes as well as to experiment innovative approaches and learning methods in global education. This implies strong commitment to implementing the new curriculum in the spirit of the UN 2030 Development Goals.

As the UN's Climate Change Conference starts today, I think we all share the same concerns and fears and hope that decisions will be made for a better future for all.

UNESCO-schools strive for peace and sustainable development

More than 50 Finnish UNESCO school teachers and head teachers met at the Finnish National Board of Education to network and exchange ideas, as well as reflect on how UNESCO school goals relate to the ongoing core curriculum reform with special focus on internationalization at home.

UNESCO-schools make a global network of schools (ASPnet), which covers levels of education from preschool to teacher training. The network was first established in 1953 to promote peace, equality, democracy and human rights. In recent years, sustainable development and environmental protection have taken an important role, as well as the protection of cultural and world heritage. In practice, the ASPnet activities focus on a variety of flagship projects eg. Baltic Sea, Sandwatch and Learning for the Future.

ASPnet network has got a new strategy for years 2014 – 2021. In it global citizenship (Global Citizen Education) and Sustainable Development (Education for Sustainable Development) are defined as the main objectives of UNESCO schools.  They are implemented through the integration of global education and sustainable development in school curricula, experimenting new and innovative approaches and teaching methods and strengthening the sharing of information, experiences and good practices among ASPnet schools.

I feel extremely pleased to realize that the education system in Finland is well advanced in these areas already today and the upcoming curriculum reform will take us even further. The increased emphasis on intercultural skills, human rights, active citizenship and sustainable development make the basis of the Finnish core curriculum 2016 and help us raise true Citizens of the World. Thus the Finnish UNESCO schools can take an active role in the ASPnet network and share the Finnish know-how in this sector.

According to the new strategy, UNESCO schools will build a virtual environment and netwok designed for discussion and sharing of ideas across the world (ASPNET in Action). In Finland, also, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) will be used in promoting ASPnet goals, sharing best practices and building regional networks. To achieve these goals UNESCO schools will cooperate closely with the surrounding community, families, organizations, and entrepreneurs. Everyone wants to promote good and build a better world.

The UNESCO school profile is strengthened when the whole school participates and is committed to common goals. Students’ engagement is crucial. Peace education, conflict resolution, human rights and the protection of the environment can be highlighted at school on a regular basis, eg. by monthly theme days  during which cross-curricular and student-centered learning-methods can be applied.

In 2012 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon launched the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), which aims to put every child in school, to improve the quality of learning and foster global citizenship. Education must be transformative (!) and cultivate respect for the world and each other. These objectives are also at the hearts of UNESCO schools. In the words of the Secretary-General:

When we put Education First, we can reduce poverty and hunger, end wasted potential – and look forward to stronger and better societies for all.