Embedding Sustainable Development in Colleges needs support

Posted August 5, 2006 in News

With resources growing scarcer and unlikely to magically spring back into existence – substances such as oil and coal take millions of years to form through geological pressure, thus supporting the ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ belief – sustainable use of resources, human and otherwise, remains on the agenda. This agenda is particularly important considering the relatively new concept of the national ‘global footprint’.

This is certainly seen as a key strategic concern by the National Assembly for Wales and heads up their Sustainable Development Scheme. FE Colleges are eager to join the campaign to increase the understanding of learners throughout Wales of the ways in which their individual responsibility to their future and their children’s’ futures is manifested within these concerns.

In spite of the efforts of the FE Colleges in Wales, who have welcomed the drive from the Welsh Assembly towards embedding ESDGC provision throughout the sector, the report from Estyn demonstrates that more is needed from the Assembly. It states that “the current guidance on ESDGC is not effective in helping to promote it”, and makes a series of recommendations for the implementation of better support practices throughout education and lifelong learning.

The Chief Executive of fforwm , John Graystone, said: “The publication of this report is very timely, as it coincides with the Welsh Assembly Government's consultation on its key education and lifelong learning strategy, ‘The Learning Country 2’. FE colleges are already demonstrating a willingness to do things differently, and to adopt the concepts of sustainable development and global citizenship. We now look forward to working with the Welsh Assembly Government in making sure that the right support is in place to allow colleges to turn theory into practice.”

Source www.fenews.co.uk

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