Heaptalk – UNESCO announced it has launched new tools to drive sustainability action in education sector. Aiming to achieve greening schools and curricula, this initiative promotes young people contribution, making them play a concrete role to overcome the climate issues.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated, “Greening schools and curricula is one of the best levers to tackle climate disruption in the long-term. It’s time to mainstream environmental education across school subjects, at all levels of education with an action-oriented approach that helps young people understand their power to make a difference.”
As cited in a UNESCO analysis of 100 national curriculum frameworks in 2021, nearly half (47%) curriculum do not mention climate disruption. Only 23% of teachers felt able to properly address climate action in their classrooms and 70% of young people surveyed could not explain climate disruption, and expressed concerns about the way in which it is currently taught.
A new report co-published today by the Organization also shows that most formal education only focus on imparting knowledge about environmental issues, rather than driving action. Schools do not drive learners to take a real action to overcome the climate crisis. Based on these findings, UNESCO perceived that sustainable development education must also focus on first-hand experiences which are more likely to lead to change.
Further, the organization delivers two concrete tools for its Member States and educational communities around the world as follow:
- UNESCO’s new Greening Curriculum Guidanceis a practical manual providing, for the first time, a common understanding of what climate education should consist of and how countries can mainstream environmental topics across curricula, with detailed expected learning outcomes according to age group (from 5-year-olds to 18+). It focuses on the importance of promoting active learning and designing a range of hands-on activities.
- UNESCO’s new Green School Quality Standard, developed in partnership with other UN agencies, civil society and countries, sets the minimum requirements on how to create a “green school”by promoting an action-oriented approach. It recommends that all schools set up green governance committees including students, teachers and parents to oversee sustainable management. It also calls to encourage teacher training, conduct audits of energy, water, food and waste audits, while also calling for stronger ties with the wider community to help students address environmental issues at local level.
