Interaction Program on Education for Sustainable Development!!

-By Shreejana Bhattarai

Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 conducted third series of the interaction program “Mobilize the Earth from Earth Day to Earth Summit” on 2nd June. It was jointly organized by Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 along with Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Earth Day Network, WWF Nepal, The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

The program started with the registration which was facilitated by Mr. Avisekh Shrestha (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20). With a short welcome speech and introduction of speakers and participants, Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20) started the program. About 15 participants attended the program. Mr. Axel Plathe, Head UNESCO office in Kathmandu and Mr. Raju babu Pudasaini, Section Officer & National ESD Monitoring Focal Point, Ministry of Education, served as the speaker. Ms. Tullia Baldassarri was a guest speaker and Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, Rio+20 focal point, ICIMOD facilitated the program.

Mr Axel Plathe as the first speaker reflected on the overall activities of UNESCO and its work on Education for Sustainable Development. He said there should be investment on education and there will be no development if society is not educated. He underscored that Education for sustainable development (ESD) issues should be mainstreamed in national education policy. He further emphasized that ESD is important for new ways of thinking and education is needed to accept environmental challenges including climate change. Giving examples of some parts of the Nepal, where during monsoon, schools are closed due to lack of infrastructures; he said that education should not be hindered by anything. He added that education should provide skills to students at all level and ages. He also clarified that Education for sustainable development involves behavioral change including energy behavior and the students are taught to change their habits to environmental friendly.

Mr Raju Babu Pudasaini, from Ministry of Education, gave overview of the activities of Ministry for Education for Sustainable Development. He said that Ministry has developed curriculum and teacher training practice and also the national framework for ESD. He clarified that ministry has conducted policy level workshop among different ministries and ministry has been able to develop 30 master trainers for ESD. He said that the master trainers were sent to different parts of the country and trained 150 teachers. The ministry has also mobilized media houses for advocacy of ESD. He underscored that we have to conceptualize ESD according to our national context encouraging curricular developer and teacher. Emphasizing that everyone is responsible for ESD, he added that ESD needs holistic and integrated approach and thus all stakeholders should be involved for collaborative work. He also said that indigenous knowledge should be given space for ESD and we need to learn best practices from other countries.

The guest speaker Ms Tullia Baldassari gave an insight on the activities of the Mountain Partership and the upcoming IPROMO Course. 

Answering to the question raised by the participants regarding youths not given due importance on decision making process, Mr Axel Plathe gave an example of the constituent Assembly where there are more than half youth CA members but the decision making is limited to few elder CA members. Mr. Raju Babu Pudasaini emphasized that the youths should be able to grab the opportunities. Answering the same question Ms. Tullia said that youth should do their work from their level and nobody can ignore their work.

Mr. Avisekh Shrestha raised a question to Mr. Raju Babu Pudasaini regarding the preparations of Ministry of Environment for Rio+20 and its communications with Nepal Planning Commission, being Rio+20 focal point for Nepal. Mr. Raju said that it is doing co-ordination with NPC for preparing agenda.