New Insights

Education for sustainable development – preserving linguistic and cultural diversity

Preserving language is a part of valuing culture and diversity.  "Among the 6,000 languages ​​and dialects of the world, 50 percent of them are threatened" (UNESCO, 2012).
Language is part of a culture and represents how or why we live like we do.  The loss of a language changes generations of people and can often effect the environment.

An example:

CARE is an international humanitarian organization fighting for all children everywhere to have access to quality education to gain confidence and skills they will need throughout their lives. In Peru, a large percentage of the population speaks Quechua or Aymara as their mother tongue, yet the teaching is still done in Spanish. Primary school children face difficulties to learn how to read and communicate, and those who manage to finish primary school does not generally have acquired basic Spanish skills in reading, writing texts, and mathematical reasoning.

Quality

©UNESCO/Niamh Burke

Early childhood care and education programmes should emphasise the child’s holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. High quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness.

There are no universally agreed criteria for quantifying ECCE quality but useful factors to consider include pedagogy materials, personnel training, service setting and parental education and involvement. Learning materials should be quantitatively, culturally and developmentally adequate and focus on child-centred interaction. Where appropriate curricula exist, there can be problems with implementation with the emphasis remaining on early primary education and preparation for formal schooling due to pressure from parents and the fact that it is easier for teachers than child-centred learning.

SUSTAINABILITY

The question "education for what?" is increasingly coming to the forefront, focusing on the quality and relevance of education, on its content and pedagogical methods, notably in the perspective of sustainable development. The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) led by UNESCO aims, among others, to transform the how and why of learning by encouraging countries to reorient their education systems. A holistic understanding of sustainable development has been developed around three key areas: society, environment and economy; with culture as an underlying dimension

Learning programs and environments must better promote theunderstanding of oneself, of others, and of the world around us.

"Development and economic prosperity depend on the ability of countries to educate all members of their societies and offer them lifelong learning. An innovative society prepares its people not only to embrace and adapt to change but also to manage and influence it. Education enriches cultures, creates mutual understanding and underpins peaceful societies. UNESCO is guided by upholding education as a human right and as an essential element for the full development of human potential." UNESCO Medium Term Strategy 2008-2013 (Para. 32)