Rethinking Schooling for the 21st Century

environmental dimension of sustainable development appears infrequently in
subject curricula; in so far as it is addressed in Science, Social Studies and Values
Education, the focus is on conservation and waste management.
Thirdly, it is notable that the most frequently coded ESD/GCED competencies,
in core subjects such as mathematics, tend to be interpreted in a profoundly
instrumentalist manner. In Cambodia and Lao PDR, concepts that frequently
appear in the Mathematics curriculum are problem solving, life skills and
collaboration — but in a context completely unrelated to any critique of social,
political or economic systems or practices. Malaysia’s Mathematics curriculum
stresses the importance of promoting critical thinking — but acknowledgement
of its importance is superficial at best in the social studies curriculum. Here as
elsewhere across the region, ‘critical thinking’ may be recognised as a desirable
‘Critical thinking’ may be
recognised as a desirable
curricular objective, but
as an economically useful
generic skill, rather than
as a quality intrinsic to
the full realisation of
individual humanity and
healthy communal life
curricular objective, but as an economically
useful generic skill, rather than as a quality
intrinsic to the full realisation of individual
humanity and healthy communal life. It is
doubtful whether it is generally understood, let
alone taught, as ‘the ability to question norms,
practices and opinions; to reflect on own one’s
values, perceptions and actions; and to take
a position in the sustainability discourse’ as
defined by UNESCO (2017b).
Fourth, issues that have a direct impact on the
survival and well-being of the population receive less emphasis than topics that
are perceived as important for economic growth. Treatment of DRR in curricula
across Southeast Asia is uneven and generally weak (see Appendix II-12). Only the
educational documents of the Philippines and Malaysia feature any substantial
coverage of the issue, as expressed narrowly in the subcategory of resilience
(under attitudes, values and dispositions) — but the relationship between the risk
of weather-related disasters and manmade climate change is not highlighted.
It is apparent that the systematic integration of
ESD/GCED into curricula across Southeast Asia
is compromised by the overwhelming official
prioritisation of human resource development.
The tendency to flag up ESD/GCED concepts
in broader curricular statements, but not
in subject curricula or guidelines, reflects
policy makers’ desire to signal — in part to
international agencies and aid donors — that
they embrace the international agenda on
ESD/GCED. Nevertheless, the coding data
suggest that actual official priorities (as
reflected in instructions to teachers) centre
A transformation of
pedagogical approaches is
also necessary – such that
students are encouraged
to see themselves as
actively engaged national
and global citizens, rather
than passive cogs in the
machinery of economic
expansion
Rethinking Schooling for the 21 st Century:
The State of Education for Peace, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in Asia
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