Impart knowledge with holistic education

Re-organisation of teachers’ training is a must for the success of National Education Policy 2020

 

Nelson Mandela has rightly said that “education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”. It is a stairway to the growth and development of humankind. The right to education must be universal so that everyone can pursue prospects of a better future. However, the right to education is not only the right to access education. It’s also about receiving a quality education.

Quality education is of paramount importance in today’s complex and fast-changing environment. It fosters the knowledge, skills and values required to create a fairer and more sustainable world. According to ‘Education International and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’, quality education “is one that focuses on the child’s overall development – social, emotional, mental, physical and cognitive, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or geographic location”. Its goal is to prepare students for the challenges they are likely to face later in their lives.

We now realize that education alone will not lead to a sustainable future, therefore, learning about sustainable development (SD) is necessary. Target 4.7 in the 2030 Agenda for SD emphasizes the importance of transformative education that promotes global citizenship, sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, peace and cultural diversity.

The Brundtland Report coined the term “Sustainable Development” and defined it as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”.

It is a holistic approach and is often depicted as three overlapping circles: ecological, social and economic. It demonstrates the interplay of all parts of life and the need for their equal consideration to find lasting prosperity. But we generally have a unidirectional approach towards sustainability based on our predisposition, for example from an ecological, economic or social viewpoint, which often results in trade-offs.

The interconnected nature of the challenges the world faces today cannot be understood in isolation. For instance, every year, climate change like extreme weather events and rising sea levels force millions of people to flee their homes. This results in climate refugees and a rise in poverty. As climate change and poverty are inextricably linked, one cannot be solved without addressing the other.

To comprehend basic principles of ecology, one must think holistically about relationships, connectedness and context to realize the intricate interdependence and often unpredictable dynamics of ecological, social, and economic systems. This shift of focus from analytical thinking (parts) to contextual thinking (whole) is a prerequisite for building a more resilient world, ensuring systemic decision and policy making. It is regarded as a critical ability in education, as it enables students to untangle and work within the complexities of life on Earth.

Integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) into teaching and learning can help in the realization of quality education, which is critical to fulfilling many of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequalities, achieving gender equality and improving agricultural productivity. It is also essential for addressing other key issues, including wasteful consumption, biodiversity conservation, natural resource use, climate change, energy, freshwater, health, sanitation and waste management.

ESD is an interdisciplinary field that integrates concepts from multiple disciplines to understand how natural and man-made processes interact with each other and ultimately affect the various biomes on the planet. Its goal is to discover novel and sustainable ways of living and managing natural resources to protect vital ecological systems and enhance long-term prospects for human prosperity.

Adopting a wide range of participatory methodologies in education, such as problem-based and project-based learning are essential to change the behaviours and equip the current and future generations with the knowledge and skills they need to shape a sustainable future. These methodologies will allow them to develop problem-solving, interdisciplinary and systemic thinking skills, which will help them learn ‘how to think’ rather than ‘what to think’ within the context of sustainability.

Our sustainable future requires societies and countries to work together, hence, it advocates the use of collaborative learning at all stages of education. In collaborative learning, students in small groups work together on a common goal to seek understanding and solutions. It fulfills the primary purpose of education – nurturing responsible citizens who can work together to solve complex ecological, social and economic issues.

Thus, working on collaborative learning projects at an early age can boost confidence and help in developing critical thinking, positive interdependence, diverse understanding along with various other social skills such as leadership, decision-making, communication, trust-building, conflict management and a sense of ownership.

Educational institutions also need to partner with multiple stakeholders and various other sectors such as economics, environment, etc., to take up co-learning. It will facilitate students to engage with real-life issues and gain the practical knowledge and skills needed to build long-term sustainable solutions.

Conventionally, ESD has been considered a separate component within the educational systems. However, over the past few years, it has been argued that it should be integrated into mainstream disciplines at all levels, settings, and types (informal, formal, non-formal) of education. This requires a systemic change in all kinds of textbooks, including science, math, social sciences, humanities, etc. It also requires significant reforms in the educational system, including strengthening curricula, cognitive and non-cognitive elements, transforming learning environments, establishing diverse partnerships, providing teacher training, creating local learning opportunities, and implementing innovative pedagogies.

Teaching ESD requires knowledge of several disciplines that is generally beyond teachers’ expertise. Therefore, re-organisation of teacher education is crucial to re-organising the study environment. It also entails research and development to identify best practices of pedagogy. Reforms of this magnitude, however, will not be possible without effective policies, operational frameworks, political will, financial assistance and stakeholders’ cooperation.

National Education Policy 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century, which aims to align the education system with SDGs and make education holistic, inclusive, multidisciplinary, learner-centric, inquiry-driven and experiential which can transform India into a vibrant knowledge-based society and global knowledge superpower.

Our collective responsibility to improve the quality of education is essential for achieving the ambitions of ‘Agenda 2030’ and ensuring continuity in the quality of human life. Governments, teachers, educational institutions and stakeholders have a vanguard role to play, along with parents and students themselves. However, we stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road – the one less traveled by – offers the last and our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.

(The author is a retired IFS officer.)