Assistant Professor

Education Department

P.S.P.S. Govt. College Of Women,

Gandhi Nagar  Jammu, India 

Assistant Professor

Education Department

P.S.P.S. Govt. College Of Women,

Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, India

Abstract

Sustainable development education offers a long-term strategy. This innovative approach to teaching tackles the complexity and interconnectivity of issues to assist individuals of all ages in having a deeper understanding of the world in which they live. Education strongly emphasizes preparing the current generation for a sustainable future by developing their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness. Key sustainable development challenges in teaching and learning concerning climate change, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, and sustainable consumption are included in the global sustainable development framework from an educational perspective. The SDG-30 includes education for sustainable development as a core component. The "Education Sustainable Goal" (SDG-4) has been assigned utmost importance to accomplish the other 17 SDGs. Nearly all of the SDG-2030 targets were also approved and adopted by the National Education Policy 2020.

The Government of India (GOI) has initiated and integrated the principle of sustainability into its various policies and programmes. To promote sustainability in education, the government should direct its various education departments, educational institutions and universities to actively work on the Environment Education Component as part of the curriculum. Higher Education with the development of technologies can play a significant role in sustainable practices through research and teaching with such a key role, higher education can provide the way for a sustainable future.

Keywords: Education, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goals, Higher Education, Knowledge Skill.

Introduction:

All learners are given the information, skills, attitudes, and agency necessary to address interconnected global concerns such as inequality, unsustainable resource use, climate change, and biodiversity loss through education for sustainable development (ESD). It gives students of all ages the knowledge and skills to take action, to improve society and protect the environment. ESD is an essential component of high-quality education and a process of lifelong learning. It includes learning context and outcomes, pedagogy, and learning environment. It improves the cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioural aspects of learning.

UNESCO is the United Nations' leading agency for ESD and it is responsible for the implementation of ESD for 2030, the current global framework for ESD takes up and continues the work of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD (2015-2019).

Agenda 2030 comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Their objectives are: global, applicable, and interconnected; each has its targets (169). The SDGs cover a wide range of issues connected to social and economic development, including among others, combating poverty and famine, ensuring health and education, sustainable management of natural resources, climate change, gender equality, cultural diversity; rural and urban development, social justice, security, human rights, peace, ethics, civic responsibility at the local, regional and global level, the economy, democracy and governance.

The United Nations formulation of Agenda 21, an action plan for the twenty-first century focused on sustainable development, during the "Reode Generio Earth Summit" in 1992 marked a turning point for Education for Sustainable Formulation (ESD). Education is acknowledged by Agenda 21 as a crucial step towards a more sustainable future. ESD is essentially a description of the teaching for sustainability approach. As Veiga Avila and his colleagues emphasized “It is a vital and eternal struggle that challenges people, institutions, and society” [7] (p.109). Its main aim is to ‘enclose’ the new generation with leadership and management abilities and the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values required for a sustainable future [17] (p.954).

The United Nations' overriding paradigm is sustainable development. As stated in the Brunt Land Commission Report, "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" is another definition of sustainable development.

Pedagogies associated with ESD help the pupils to ask questions, analyze, think critically, and make decisions. Such pedagogies move from teacher-centered to student- centered lessons and from rote memorization to participatory learning. ESD pedagogies are often placed based on the problem/issue. ESD pedagogies encourage critical thinking, social critique, and analyses of local contexts. ESD pedagogies are using drama, play, music, design, and drawing to stimulate creativity and imagine alternative futures. It helps pupils to develop a sense of social justice and self-efficacy as community members.

Education focuses on local efforts and leads to regional and global actions. They enable people to connect to their local realities and link them with their communities to discuss, (dis)agree, and discover common visions, values, ideas, and experiments to try. Today our society faces the socio-economic and environmental challenges that are complex and urgent (Rockstrom et al., 2009, Raworth, 2012). Thus, transformative pedagogy is a promising tool for ESD because it emphasizes learning that promotes action (Rose and Cachelin, 2013), enables learners to develop their views, assess different perspectives, values, and interests, and develop their observations, arguments, and competencies to deal with sustainability issues (Blake et al., 2013).

The UNESCO Director-General stated that "quality must be seen in the light of how societies define the purpose of education" in the foreword of the 2005 Global Monitoring Report for EFA (UNESCO, 2004). The workforce was the primary focus of education for many years in the US and other developed nations. Then, the focus of education shifted from the economic sphere to the international sphere. While economic competitiveness is still a major goal of education for nations, communities, families, and individuals, the emphasis is increasingly shifting toward social justice, global citizenship, and sustainability. The paper indicates that ESD pedagogies have an equal impact on primary and secondary education as sustainability content. ESD-related pedagogies encourage students to reflect, ask questions, evaluate, think critically, and make wise choices. According to UNESCO (2012), these pedagogies transition from teacher-centered to student-centered classes and from rote memorization to participatory learning.

ESD Pedagogies encourage critical thinking, social critique, and analyses of local contexts. They involve discussions, analysis, and applications of values. ESD Pedagogies often draw upon the arts, using drama, play, music, and drawing to stimulate creativity and imagine alternative futures. They work towards positive change and help students regarding social justice, and self-efficacy as community members (UNESCO, 212 a, p.15).

Tilbury (2011, p.29), that ESD learning processes encourage learners to ask critical reflective questions, clarify values, envision more positive futures, think systematically, respond through applied learning, and explore the dialectic between tradition and innovation. Some ESD pedagogies promote cooperation and collaboration, issues investigation, using multiple perspectives and real-world problem solving, as well as equity in the classroom by meeting all student needs (Mcknown and Hopkins, 2010; Kappa Delta Pi, 2015; Nolet, 2016; Tilhury, 2011; UNESCO, 2012b).

Many higher education institutions promoted sustainability principles. This can be achieved by reducing the institution's environmental footprint, engaging strongly with the communities, and having good governance (UNESCO, 2020). In recent years, a growing body of knowledge has been developed towards higher education to implement a sustainability curriculum in higher education, campus practices, and outreach activities (Weiss and Barth, 2019; Menons and Suresh, 2020). Other works focused on the pedagogical barriers associated with this implementation (Blanco-Portela etal., 2017), the pedagogical approach towards teaching sustainability in higher education. (Seatter and Cerlemans, 2017.

Fehlner (2019) highlighted a positive relationship between higher education and sustainable development. Higher Education contributes, substantially to the graduates having a well-paid job and build stable and prosperous societies. In addition, higher education promotes the creation of new ideas and technologies that are the basis of sustainability. Despite this higher education institutions' contribution to society is likely underestimated (Fehlmer, 2019). Tejeclor et al. (2019) identified five learning strategies for sustainability education in higher education institutions project-oriented learning, simulation games, problem-based learning, service learning, and case studies.

According to Mintz and Tal (2013), the learning outcomes are higher when a participatory learning method is applied, the important is that the students perceive sustainability as a critical aspect of their education (Boarin et al., 2020).

There are certain barriers to education and sustainable development:

1. Access to Education: In developing countries and marginalized communities, face barriers to accessing education due to factors such as poverty, remote locations, lack of infrastructure like schools, and cultural norms that prioritize other responsibilities over education.
2. Quality of Education: Issues such as poorly trained teachers, outdated curricula, lack of teaching materials, and overcrowded classrooms can impede effective learning.
3. Gender Inequality: Girls often face discrimination, early marriage, household chores, and cultural barriers that limit their access to education, thereby hindering their full participation in sustainable development efforts.
4. Financial Constraints: Education can be costly, including expenses for tuition, textbooks, uniforms, and transportation. Families living in poverty may struggle to afford these costs, leading to lower enrolment rates and higher dropout rates.
5. Infrastructure and Technology: Inadequate infrastructure, such as lack of electricity and internet connectivity, can limit access to educational resources and modern teaching methods, hindering effective learning and skills development.
6. Language Barriers: In multilingual societies, the lack of education in a child's native language can hinder learning outcomes. Language barriers also affect the ability of marginalized groups to access education in a meaningful way.
7. Conflict and Instability: Regions affected by conflict and political instability often experience disrupted schooling, damaged infrastructure, displacement of families, and trauma among students and educators, all of which undermine educational progress and long-term development.
8. Lack of Teacher Training and Support: Effective teaching requires well-trained educators who are supported with continuous professional development. In many regions, teachers may lack adequate training, motivation, and resources, which can affect the quality of education.
9. Inadequate Funding and Resource Allocation: Education budgets in many countries are insufficient and cannot maintain quality standards. This results in overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, and limited extracurricular opportunities, and this may affect the overall learning experience.
10. Cultural and Social Norms: Societal attitudes and norms can discourage certain groups, particularly girls and women, from pursuing education. This includes early marriage, child labor, gender roles that prioritize boys' education over girls', and discriminatory practices that limit educational opportunities based on ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status.
11. Health Issues: Poor health, including malnutrition, diseases, and lack of access to healthcare, can negatively impact children's ability to attend and concentrate in school.
12. Health-related barriers contribute to absenteeism, dropout rates, and overall educational achievement.
13. Environmental Factors: Environmental challenges such as natural disasters, climate change impacts, and pollution can disrupt education systems by damaging infrastructure, displacing communities, and affecting the overall well-being of students and educators.

So, to overcome barriers to sustainable development, particularly in the context of higher education, Various solutions can be considered:

1. Expand Infrastructure: Build more schools and ensure they have necessary facilities like electricity, clean water, and sanitation.
2. Improve Transportation: Provide reliable transportation options to ensure children, especially in remote areas, can access schools easily.
3. Digital Connectivity: Enhance internet connectivity and provide access to digital learning tools and resources.
4. Teacher Training: Invest in training and professional development programs for teachers to improve teaching quality and effectiveness.
5. Curriculum Reform: Curriculum should be updated and must include relevant events, local contexts, and sustainable development topics.
6. Learning Materials: Ensure the availability of up-to-date textbooks, learning materials, and resources that support interactive and engaging learning experiences.
7. Financial Support: Provide scholarships, subsidies, or conditional cash transfers to support families in covering educational expenses.
8. Gender Equality: Promote policies and programs that address gender disparities in education and empower girls and women to access and complete education.
9. Community Engagement: Work with local communities to challenge and change harmful cultural norms that hinder educational opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups.
10. Health Services: Ensure access to basic healthcare services, nutrition programs, and sanitation facilities in schools to support students' health and well-being.
11. Health Education: Integrate health education into school curricula to raise awareness about hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention.
12. Increase Funding: Mobilize resources and allocate adequate educational budgets, prioritizing sustainable development goals.
13. Partnerships: Foster partnerships between governments, international organizations, NGOs.

Conclusion

In the words of Maas and Liket (2011), impacts of sustainable developments generally refer to the effects caused by an organization or an intervention (policy, program, project, product, technology or measure) that occur outside the organization in society or the natural environment. Koehn and Uitto (2014, p. 624), described the impacts of sustainability initiatives of HEIs consist of “real-world changes in ecological sustainability, policies, and people’s well-being”.

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