Tomorrow today; 2010 - unesdoc - Unesco

Establishing enriched learning in Japan:participation and partnershipNobuo Fujishima, Secretary-General, Japanese National Commission for UNESCO,Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JapanThe Government of Japan has been promoting ESD incooperation with relevant stakeholders since the establishmentin 2006 of Japan’s Action Plan for the UnitedNations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development(DESD). Following the midpoint of the DESD, we would like tointroduce Japan’s efforts to promote education for sustainabledevelopment (ESD).Features of ESD in JapanEven before the start of the DESD, activities addressing participatory,problem-solving learning had been conducted, not only in schools,but also in institutions of higher education, social educational facilities,communities and enterprises in Japan. Efforts are being madeto advance this approach in diverse educational fields, includingenvironmental education, human rights and welfare education,peace education and development education, while incorporatingenvironmental, economic and social perspectives.These have evolved into actions for partnerships and ESD integrationinitiatives that are taking root in communities and developinginto efforts to build sustainable communities by linking the wisdomof traditional lifestyles with natural, industrial and cultural resourcesand also with the school curriculum.In line with the development of ESD, these activities are increasinglypursued through partnerships involving schools, communitycentres and other local government bodies, non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs), institutionsof higher education, enterprises and others.These activities have had positive outcomes – ESD in school educationhas led to the cultivation of ‘zest for living’ and ESD rooted inlocal communities has proved a powerful tool for building and revitalizingcommunities. It enables residents to discover the qualities oftheir community, nurtures affection for and pride in the community,and raises people’s awareness as members of the community.Building an action frameworkEstablishment of the Interministerial Meeting on the DESDThe government established an Interministerial Meeting 1 within theCabinet in December 2005 to strive for close coordination amongadministrative bodies concerned with implementing the measuresrelated to the DESD and to promote the effective and comprehensiveimplementation of these measures.The Interministerial Meeting drafted Japan’s Action Plan for theDESD in March 2006, stating that ESD implementation should favour:• Programmes leading to community building• Diverse places of education and implementing actors• An integrated approach under various agendas• Learning from participation and experience• Nurturing abilities for social participation• Coordination and collaboration between diverse actors.With the related ministries and agencies steadily carryingout various measures stipulated in the Action Plan,the government, by keenly promoting ESD, aims tocreate a world where everyone may enjoy the benefitsof high quality education and learn the values, actionsand lifestyles required for a sustainable future and socialchanges, and where every organization may participatein the creation of a sustainable society.Based on the Action Plan, the government has facilitateddiscussions on measures for implementing ESDby holding roundtable meetings since 2007 as forumsfor the exchange of opinions among academic experts,educators and related representatives from NPOs andenterprises.Primary and secondary educationIn 2002, periods for integrated study were incorporatedinto the primary and secondary curricula to provide timefor schools to pursue their own creative and distinctiveeducational activities, suited to their particular localesand students’ needs, and to enable children to learn aboutissues that span multiple traditional subjects, such asinternational understanding, information technology,the environment, and health and welfare. Issues relatingto the environment and international understanding arealso addressed in individual subjects such as science andsocial studies, and various educational programmes arebeing taught in schools in line with the principles of ESD.During the periods for integrated study, childrenlearn through experience about nature and day-to-daylife and how they relate to industry and society, usingtopics such as the local countryside, rivers, traditionalfoods and festivals as their subject matter. These studyperiods also provide them with opportunities to explorehow society can be made more amenable to diversepeople through interaction with elderly people, foreignersand people with disabilities in the community. Afeature of these activities is that they are enriched by thecooperation of local people, NPOs, facilities, businesses,universities, and institutes for community education.[ 62 ]