Minister launches first National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development
Eight ‘priority action areas’ have been identified in the strategy, launched yesterday by outgoing Minister Ruairi Quinn.
Among the priorities are leadership and coordination, data collection and baseline measurement, and promoting participation by young people in decisions that affect them.
The new strategy also encourages the establishment of more student councils at primary level, while the existing student council model at post primary level will be reviewed.
Among the strategy’s key principles are balancing environmental, social and economic considerations, and the promotion of lifelong learning.
It also recommends that an Education for Sustainable Development Advisory Group should be established by the Department of Education and Skills this year, and that the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment) should be asked to audit, from a sustainable development perspective, the primary and post primary curriculum by 2017.
The strategy also recommends that state education and training agency SOLAS should be asked to report to the Department of Education and Skills in 2015 on the extent of current sustainable development related provision in the Further Education and Training sector.
Similarly, the Higher Education Authority should be asked to report to the Department of Education and Skills by 2016 on the extent of sustainable development related provision in third-level institutions.
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