As the global leaders are exploring sustainable solutions towards addressing climate change in the international community, the activation of learner participation in the climate action programme has been deemed necessary.  The DBE and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), organised the National Policy Dialogue in the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Climate Action to educate learners about factors contributing to climate change globally. The dialogue, which was supported by the Secretary-General of the South African National Commission for UNESCO, Mr Carlton Mukwevho, took place at the Premier Hotel Quartermain, in the Gauteng Province this week.

Through the dialogue, the DBE and the UNESCO were able to gauge the extent to which the ESD and Climate Action were operationalised and mainstreamed in the South African schools. The dialogue was also meant to encourage policy actors, educational leaders, Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to make meaningful contributions to ESD and Climate Action Initiatives. 

Speaking during the dialogue, Mr Mukwevho indicated that the ESD and Climate Action programme should be promoted at school level for learners to become responsible citizens in their future endeavours. The dialogue should be used as an opportunity for the South African Government to foster intersectoral collaborations and the coordination of education for sustainable development and climate action amongst the youth. It is important therefore to employ the ESD strategies to transform the lives of the South African people for the better. The ESD is a key instrument to achieve the SDG goals including striving for zero poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure,reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities, production and climate action.

In his opening address, the Deputy Director-General for Social Mobilisation and Support Services, Dr Granville Whittle, said that the dialogue was needed to interrogate the progress made by the Basic Education Sector as far as the ESD and Climate Action was concerned. “In actual fact, the dialogue assisted us to look into our curriculum to check if there were any existing gaps relating to climate action. But as things stand, our curriculum serves its intended purpose in schools. As a sector, we need to work very hard to ensure that we attain the SDG goals by 2025,” remarked Dr Whittle.

During the dialogue, the participants made several inputs relating to the ESD and Climate Action. Most of them urged the DBE to host the dialogue regularly to maximise participation amongst the youth.