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commitments and demonstrating projects to be fully implemented across the curriculum, teaching and operations, whether in formal systems or in non-formal learning
and public awareness raising platforms. Globalization has implications for implementation and is argued to be a key factor in homogenizing approaches to education
that omit cultural and environmental identity. This highlights the challenge of globalizing standards and implementation for education to address SDGs. Homogenizing
education through global policy agreements necessitates greater partnership and collaboration with actors at the regional and local levels. This also requires a better
understanding of limiting and fostering factors that prevent collaboration for
ESD. Another key gap in implementation has to do with the motivation and goals of
current governments to meet the targets and standards of ESD.
5.4.2 National Level of Governance
ESD has galvanized pedagogical innovation and education policy, including curricula changes that now promote learning for sustainable development at the national
level. The national curriculum often serves as the most significant piece of educational policy and can provide the surest means to secure the implementation of
ESD. In many countries, the initial entry point of inclusion for ESD has been
National Plans for Sustainable Development. However, these mandates for ESD do
not always translate quickly into strong integration into educational policy. For
example, out of 70 reporting countries in the UNESCO survey, 66% indicated having an ESD strategy or plan, and 50% identified the inclusion of ESD in relevant
policy; but when reporting on their major achievements during the decade, only 28
countries (40%) indicated actual integration of ESD into the curriculum or standard
teaching objectives as one of their achievements. Similarly, in a detailed review of
progress made on ESD in seven countries in Southeast and East Asia, only three
countries reported clear inclusion of ESD into recent curricular revisions even
though all countries had related policies including ESD. It is worth noting, though,
that due to the normal cycles and timing of policy and curricular revisions, it can
take several years before a country is able to achieve this type of change.
One of the obstacles to change has been the reluctance or the inability to integrate social and environmental concerns into policymaking and practice. Politicians
have been slow to take up the challenge, both from lack of understanding and a
piecemeal approach to policy and from a lack of political will. Discussions in one
of the high-level groups during the UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation) ESD mid-decade Bonn Conference underlined
this issue when delegates identified politicians and policymakers as a key target for
ESD.
5 SDG 4 Quality Education
commitments and demonstrating projects to be fully implemented across the curriculum, teaching and operations, whether in formal systems or in non-formal learning
and public awareness raising platforms. Globalization has implications for implementation and is argued to be a key factor in homogenizing approaches to education
that omit cultural and environmental identity. This highlights the challenge of globalizing standards and implementation for education to address SDGs. Homogenizing
education through global policy agreements necessitates greater partnership and collaboration with actors at the regional and local levels. This also requires a better
understanding of limiting and fostering factors that prevent collaboration for
ESD. Another key gap in implementation has to do with the motivation and goals of
current governments to meet the targets and standards of ESD.
5.4.2 National Level of Governance
ESD has galvanized pedagogical innovation and education policy, including curricula changes that now promote learning for sustainable development at the national
level. The national curriculum often serves as the most significant piece of educational policy and can provide the surest means to secure the implementation of
ESD. In many countries, the initial entry point of inclusion for ESD has been
National Plans for Sustainable Development. However, these mandates for ESD do
not always translate quickly into strong integration into educational policy. For
example, out of 70 reporting countries in the UNESCO survey, 66% indicated having an ESD strategy or plan, and 50% identified the inclusion of ESD in relevant
policy; but when reporting on their major achievements during the decade, only 28
countries (40%) indicated actual integration of ESD into the curriculum or standard
teaching objectives as one of their achievements. Similarly, in a detailed review of
progress made on ESD in seven countries in Southeast and East Asia, only three
countries reported clear inclusion of ESD into recent curricular revisions even
though all countries had related policies including ESD. It is worth noting, though,
that due to the normal cycles and timing of policy and curricular revisions, it can
take several years before a country is able to achieve this type of change.
One of the obstacles to change has been the reluctance or the inability to integrate social and environmental concerns into policymaking and practice. Politicians
have been slow to take up the challenge, both from lack of understanding and a
piecemeal approach to policy and from a lack of political will. Discussions in one
of the high-level groups during the UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation) ESD mid-decade Bonn Conference underlined
this issue when delegates identified politicians and policymakers as a key target for
ESD.
5 SDG 4 Quality Education