Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga is currently in Nagoya, Japan taking part in the UNESCO world conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Minister Motshekga formed part of a high level panel for the opening plenary discussion of the conference, joining her on the panel was Irina Bokova, DG of UNESCO; Susan Hopegood, President of Education International and Federal Secretary of the Australian Education Union; as well as a youth representative selected from the Okayama Youth Conference.  The opening discussion helped to set the tone for the entire conference under the theme "Celebrating a Decade of Action - What have we achieved, what lessons learnt."

This World Conference will carry out a stock-taking of the implementation of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Education (DESD) and celebrate the decades achievements. The conference will showcase initiatives, actors, networks and ideas that were inspired by the DESD and review their impact on the basis of data provided by stakeholders and collected by UNESCO. With a view to post-Decade activities, the conference will celebrate successes of the DESD but also analyze obstacles encountered and lessons learnt. Examples of good practice from all over the world will provide valuable insight into viable approaches to ESD and help identify key areas for future action.

South Africa was praised by the conference as one of the countries who have made much progress in the area of ESD in the past decade. Minister Motshekga shared with the conference that the ESD activities of the past decade has confirmed the central role education has to play and the vital role of teachers/educators in creating the citizenry needed to ensure a better future of all.

One of the most significant achievements in South Africa, whether it was intended or not, has been the reaffirmation and attention given to the role of indigenous knowledge and  practices with regards to sustainable living, sustainable development and caring for the wellbeing of future eco-systems.

At the international level it has mobilized collaboration amongst stakeholders across the globe and has influenced policies both at national and local level. In addition it has generated awareness beyond nature conservation and environmental education into industries and has successfully placed consumerism under the micro-scope.  

During the decade the Basic Education Department reviewed its National Curriculum Statement.

The awareness and engagements in ESD during this time ensured that our National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades R – 12 embedded the essence of ESD principles in every subject as follows:

“Human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice: infusing the principles and practices of social and environmental justice and human rights as defined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 is sensitive to issues of diversity such as poverty, inequality, race, gender, language, age, disability and other factors.”

Hence over and above all the achievements of the ESD Decade, the inclusion of ESD in the National Curriculum Statement is a key achievement for South Africa in this regard.

Minister Motshekga committed to strengthen the progress already made in Basic Education by integrating the five priority action areas of the Global Action Programme into the strategic planning framework of the Department of Basic Education by:

1. Advancing policy;

2. Integrating sustainability practices into education and training environments (whole-institution approaches);

3. Increasing the capacity of educators and trainers;

4. Empowering and mobilizing youth;

5. Encouraging local communities and municipal authorities to develop community-based ESD programmes.

Enquiries contact:         Elijah Mhlanga – 083 580 8275

Troy Martens - 079 899 3070

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION