Education for Sustainable Development in Technical and Vocational Education and Training

November 3-5, 2010

EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Manila, Philippines

Organizers, Speakers, Guests and Delegates of the International Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in TVET led by (seated, 9th from left to right) Dr. Harry Stolte (InWEnt), Secretary Joel Villanueva (TESDA), Ambassador Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad (Embassy of Malaysia), Ambassador Yogendra Kumar (Embassy of India), Dr. Shyamal Majumdar (CPSC, Dr. Klaus Sodemann (IVETA) and Dr. CK Basu (CPSC).

Dr. Shyamal Majumdar stresses that humankind won’t be able to solve the problems it faces today subscribing to the same values and approaches that created them.

CPSC Director General and Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee Dr. Shyamal Majumdar; Malaysian Ambassador and Chairman of the CPSC Governing Board Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad, TESDA Director General Secretary Joel Villanueva; IVETA President Mr. Klaus Sodemann; and InWEnt Head of Division Dr. Harry Stolte.

Delegates from various countries during the conference proper.

Conference Speaker from the Asian Institute of Technology Bangkok lectures on the AIT Model of ESD Integration in Curriculum.

Thirty-nine countries represented by 240 international and local delegates convened in Manila, Philippines to discuss and demonstrate Education for Sustainable Development in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ESD in TVET). The international conference, organized by Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education (CPSC) in collaboration with the International Vocational Education and Training Association (IVETA), Capacity Building International (InWEnt) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), espoused the prominence of reversing the impact of climate change through technical and vocational education and capacity building approaches. It also succeeded in providing an interactive venue to understand how sustainable development could be integrated into education and facilitate interest and commitment in promoting SD for a greener TVET.

The conference launched a milestone Call to Action that proposes to undertake deliberate and conscientious efforts to fast-track initiatives to pull off the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), a proclamation made by the United Nations General Assembly at its 57th session to achieve sustainable development by 2014 with education as an indispensible element to reach the decade.

A ten-point Call to Action, affirmed by 240-strong delegates of the conference, suggests to recommend “Integrating ESD in TVET” high on the international agenda; to mobilize towards a Green TVET Framework to support socio-economic aspects towards sustainable development; to promote capacity building to integrate ESD in TVET systems; to re-orient TVET curriculum and teacher education to integrate ESD in all levels of education; and to increase public awareness to promote ESD as an advocacy for greater community ownership.

It also recommended to strengthen networking and linkages to enhance multi-stakeholder partnership; to promote evidence-based research, monitoring and evaluation strategies for ESD in TVET; to develop clean and green technology programs to meet the needs of the green economy; and to prioritize investments in education and capacity building of the youth in creating a strong foundation of a society for sustainable development.

By fast-tracking these actions, the conference aims to mobilize the academic, policy and industry sectors towards working together for the reconfiguration of TVET system to meet the needs of the human capital as well as consider socio-economic aspects of development.

Among the countries represented were Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cambodia, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Rep. of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Palau, Pakistan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United States of America, Vietnam and Yemen.

The conference was formally inaugurated by the Chairman of the CPSC Governing Board, HE Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines and the Director General of TESDA, Secretary Joel Villanueva; Dr. Shyamal Majumdar, Director General, CPSC; Mr. Klaus Sodemann, President of IVETA and Dr. Harry Stolte, Head of Division, InWENt.

Secretary Villanueva keynoted the opening of the conference stressing that the event has placed the Philippines and the issue of sustainability in the education context at the center of necessary follow-up initiatives to realize the objectives of the Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action agreed to be taken globally, nationally and locally in which human impacts on the environment. He underlined that crucial role of TVET in propagating sustainable development, which he simplified to be nothing but ensuring that a common technician understands the implication of day-to-day plat operations to the environment.

Echoing the common understanding on the important role TVET plays in skilling and building qualifications, Malaysian Ambassador Ibrahim Saad on behalf of CPSC Governing Board acknowledged that open discussion on ESD from the various perspectives, such as policy dialogues, job creation, research, and education reforms. He affirmed that ESD has its multi-dimensional purpose in life, in general; and human and resources development, in particular.

Dr. Majumdar shared that one of the key strategies to achieve sustainable development is thru Education and Training. Reiterating a UN advocacy that says “the shift towards a green economy requires Education for Sustainable Development,” he emphasized that humankind won’t be able to solve the problems it faces today subscribing to the same values and approaches that created them thus ESD will provide the framework to address climate change.

Dr. Majumdar in a plenary presentation also presented the CPSC greening TVET framework which champions having a green campus, technology program, community outreach initiatives, research and culture as a holistic approach to greening TVET institutions. 

The conference tackled a range of themes that included global ESD enablers and barriers in TVET; best practices of ESD in TVET; TVET curriculum for ESD; innovative teacher education for ESD; green technology approaches in industry and education; and sustainable TVET institutions through partnerships and alliance.

Leading educationists from TVET sector as well as representatives from various development and academic institutions and government agencies shared insights and progress in utilizing education and training platforms to promote sustainable development.

These include CPSC, IVETA, InWEnt, World Bank Speakers Bureau, South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Regional Center for Vocational and Technical Training, Asian Institute of Technology, Asian Development Bank, ILO Bangkok, GRM International, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Botswana Training Authority, Ohio State University, University Ton Hussein Onn Malaysia.

Participating institutions in the host country were CHED, TESDA, DepEd, DAP, Western Visayas College for Science and Technology of the Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, Hytec Power, Eastern Petroleum Corporation, Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Development, among others.

The two-day conference also included an exposure trip and study visit to the Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMPC) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Calamba, Laguna to learn about actual industry and development practices in integrating ESD in TVET. The conference was held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Madaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

ESD in TVET full report

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