524
F. N. Ariffin et al.
Meanwhile, majority of respondents (85.9%) concluded that environment is part of
the sustainable development components. The result shows that there is still some
misunderstanding regarding the dimension of sustainable development. According
to Giddings et al. (2002), sustainable development is usually presented as being
divided into three spheres which are the economy, environment and society and
they are interconnected. The authors also mentioned that in most discussion about
sustainable development, either the environment or the economy is given priority.
Whereas, Jenkins and Jenkins (2005) argued that sustainable development involves
proper balance between the three dimensions and when it becomes inappropriately
skewed such as toward economic growth, then the other dimension can become
stressed and even threatened. Therefore, ESD is needed to help address this appropriate balance especially amongst the youths so the youths would not assume that
sustainable development is efforts to protect the environment only.
On the other hand, the respondents agreed that water (63.4%) and health (55.6%)
are the issues and challenges in sustainable development. Currently, there is lots of
exposure regarding water scarcity and health issues especially in the least develop
countries by the media and the internet. Therefore, the exposure may have affected
the respondents in choosing water and health as issues of sustainable development.
Furthermore, with water pollution and emergence of new diseases, it is not surprising
that many respondents chose water and health as issues in sustainable development.
Besides that, most of the respondents agreed that population and poverty and production and consumption are not part of the issues in sustainable development with
a percentage below 20%.
Next, fourteen items regarding deep knowledge on sustainable development with
a 3-point Likert were asked to respondents. The result is presented in Table 4.
Referring to Table 4, most respondents answered correctly on the item number
5, 6 and 14 with 72.4, 75.4 and 76.5% respectively. While item number 9 and 10
showed the least agreed percentage with 24.7 and 30% respectively. This result is
understandable because item number 9 and 10 mentioned about agreement that might
not be familiar among the respondents. Moreover, looking at the means result, it can
be said that the level of knowledge among youth is high. Thus, there is evidence that
some progress in sustainable development has been made, but much more remains
to be done especially familiarizing youth with a deeper knowledge of sustainable
development. In addition, the education curriculum must provide a quality education
especially implementing ESD in the curriculum at all level of education so that no
one will be left out. Further, we can follow countries that were reported to have an
excellent ESD schools such as Australia, China, England, Sweden and the Netherlands. Laurie et al. (2016) stated that from studies in 14 countries (Australia, Belgium,
Canada, China, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mongolia, Peru, Scotland, Sweden, and the Netherlands), students of ESD schools develop better critical
thinking skills, deeper understanding of the topics under study and stronger research
skills aside from other excellent traits.
F. N. Ariffin et al.
Meanwhile, majority of respondents (85.9%) concluded that environment is part of
the sustainable development components. The result shows that there is still some
misunderstanding regarding the dimension of sustainable development. According
to Giddings et al. (2002), sustainable development is usually presented as being
divided into three spheres which are the economy, environment and society and
they are interconnected. The authors also mentioned that in most discussion about
sustainable development, either the environment or the economy is given priority.
Whereas, Jenkins and Jenkins (2005) argued that sustainable development involves
proper balance between the three dimensions and when it becomes inappropriately
skewed such as toward economic growth, then the other dimension can become
stressed and even threatened. Therefore, ESD is needed to help address this appropriate balance especially amongst the youths so the youths would not assume that
sustainable development is efforts to protect the environment only.
On the other hand, the respondents agreed that water (63.4%) and health (55.6%)
are the issues and challenges in sustainable development. Currently, there is lots of
exposure regarding water scarcity and health issues especially in the least develop
countries by the media and the internet. Therefore, the exposure may have affected
the respondents in choosing water and health as issues of sustainable development.
Furthermore, with water pollution and emergence of new diseases, it is not surprising
that many respondents chose water and health as issues in sustainable development.
Besides that, most of the respondents agreed that population and poverty and production and consumption are not part of the issues in sustainable development with
a percentage below 20%.
Next, fourteen items regarding deep knowledge on sustainable development with
a 3-point Likert were asked to respondents. The result is presented in Table 4.
Referring to Table 4, most respondents answered correctly on the item number
5, 6 and 14 with 72.4, 75.4 and 76.5% respectively. While item number 9 and 10
showed the least agreed percentage with 24.7 and 30% respectively. This result is
understandable because item number 9 and 10 mentioned about agreement that might
not be familiar among the respondents. Moreover, looking at the means result, it can
be said that the level of knowledge among youth is high. Thus, there is evidence that
some progress in sustainable development has been made, but much more remains
to be done especially familiarizing youth with a deeper knowledge of sustainable
development. In addition, the education curriculum must provide a quality education
especially implementing ESD in the curriculum at all level of education so that no
one will be left out. Further, we can follow countries that were reported to have an
excellent ESD schools such as Australia, China, England, Sweden and the Netherlands. Laurie et al. (2016) stated that from studies in 14 countries (Australia, Belgium,
Canada, China, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mongolia, Peru, Scotland, Sweden, and the Netherlands), students of ESD schools develop better critical
thinking skills, deeper understanding of the topics under study and stronger research
skills aside from other excellent traits.