Education and Sustainable Development
Education for sustainable development is a comprehensive approach to learning that aims to empower people for a more sustainable future. Education linked to sustainability focuses on knowledge, skills, and values, especially since sustainable development is a strategic goal in all developmental plans set by governments. This has become even more critical given the numerous social, economic, and environmental challenges, including inequality and the large numbers of people living in crises such as armed conflicts and natural disasters, leaving them displaced, living as refugees or homeless without shelter, a homeland, or access to healthcare, education, and basic services. Therefore, education is the cornerstone for achieving sustainable development.
The international community, upon adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, recognized that education is essential for achieving all 17 goals of the agenda. Goal 4, in particular, aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" by 2030.
The role of education in sustainable development is not limited to an educational function alone. It is a fundamental pillar for change and future planning. Education is concerned with preparing future generations to ensure sustainability in a world characterized by prosperity and dignity.
Flexible methods must be employed to provide educational services, including the use of digital technologies and modern curricula while ensuring ongoing support for teachers and local communities.
Additionally, emphasis must be placed on promoting gender equality by ensuring that women and girls have equal educational opportunities. Without providing quality educational opportunities, countries will struggle to achieve their developmental goals, particularly those requiring mechanisms and efforts to address changes that affect millions of children, youth, and adults, leaving them behind. Today, approximately 250 million children worldwide are not enrolled in school, and nearly 763 million adults are illiterate. This necessitates that countries facing such challenges prioritize developing strategies, plans, and budgets to ensure education is accessible to all without discrimination.
The principle of "education for life" must also be reinforced. The educational process should not only focus on developing students' skills and capabilities but also emphasize values related to personal, health, and environmental safety. This approach helps sharpen their ability and readiness to acquire further knowledge.
There is a strong link between education and sustainable development across all cultural, economic, social, and environmental fields. Development cannot achieve its goals without trained and qualified human resources. Thus, education is the foundation of sustainable development in society.
Education must also be at the heart of global solidarity, starting with financial aid allocated to education to address various circumstances and challenges. A significant portion of humanitarian assistance should be dedicated to supporting education and sustainable development.
This requires coordination between countries in need of aid and the efforts facilitated by human solidarity, focusing on giving priority to education, investing in digital literacy, and revitalizing lifelong learning initiatives. These efforts enable generations to connect education with sustainability, benefiting individuals and communities alike.
Fatima Bint Mubarak
