The working group themes broadly corresponded to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and attempted to highlight the role of education in achieving the targets for a sustainable planet. The world has set an ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with Goal 4 of SDGs focusing on education: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all”. Among seven targets and three implementation strategies associated with the Education SDG, Target 4.7 is an acknowledgment of the critical importance of fostering competencies to take informed decisions and responsible actions in achieving SDGs: “by 2030 ensure all learners acquire 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”.
Over the course of three days, each working group met for nine hours in total to:
- Assess the role of education (formal, non-formal and informal learning settings) in addressing the issue/SDG through sharing of case examples
- Identify ideas/projects/initiatives to be scaled up
- Discuss knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and competencies relevant to addressing the issue/SDG and develop a draft competency framework on the respective SDG
- Develop recommendations to make education systems more responsive to addressing SDGs.
- To apply the learnings of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development to develop programmes to achieve the SDGs
- To look at how the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD can play a major role in the SDG strategy
- To develop synergies and partnerships
- Common understanding of competencies to address SDGs established to advance policy and practice on education for SDGs
- Synergies and partnerships to enhance the role and scope of education in context of goal 4.7 to address SDGs.
The working groups were organized on the lines of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Workshops’ Recommendations are in the draft stage, and open to comments and feedback.