Ghulam MD Mir
Societies world over have come to a grinding halt and India is no exception. Developed or developing, prosperous or poor and technologically advanced or archaic are no more the criteria’s that used to decide whether a society will withstand a calamity or escape unscathed. Social distancing as the only tool and the neighbour next door as the only agent of survival. At a time when US, the most prosperous nation have emerged as the worst affected and President of US, the most powerful person on the planet looks dwarfed, one can only say that lots of myths are being broken. Despite a clear headed leader in Modi, given the cultural norms, social systems and economic structures, one is not sure as to what will left of the lives, spirits, finances and values once India goes past this invisible enemy. Definitely, these are the times to go back to what religious relics and epics of different faiths say about discipline and empathy. More importantly, this will not be the last such crisis where one’s welfare will depend on the next door Neighbour. Hence, while we are at the cross roads, one path leading to survival and the other to extinction, it is time to sit during lockdowns and ponder over some of the systems and institutions, most critical being the education system.
The nature of COVID shock
The last few academic sessions are replete with the instances of disruptions due to variety of reasons such as demonetisation, NRC, CAA, pollution, abrogation of Article 370 & 35 A, and finally COVID-19. Whether it is Delhi, Puducherry, Punjab, West Bengal or J&K, there have been ‘shocks’ and events largely local in nature and common solutions couldn’t have been applied to them. Similarly, students across different states could have hardly made a difference to mitigate the hardships of other affected students. However, something is fundamentally different about the COVID-19 crisis. The key difference between the COVID crisis and the other aforementioned crises is the former’s aggregate nature and uncertainty despite knowing that Govt is actively working to fight it. On the one hand, government is depending on social awareness as much as the society is banking on the government’s preparedness. Sad part is that none of the two are sure. We broadly know what is to be done to ensure that one’s neighbour does not contract the disease, or that a young student does not infect an older relative. In essence, we are educated enough to know what’s and how’s of our behaviours. But where we are lacking is the resolve and the value system that we will do what it takes to ensure that we will protect own self and also be instrumental in not infecting others. So, where does the fault lie? This brings me to the question whether the Indian education system is promoting a value system that promotes compassion, empathy and discipline aimed at public welfare? The sad answer to this question is negative. So, is there a case for an alternate approach to education to instil the intent to act selflessly in the interest of the society at large?
Education for Sustainable Development
In November 2019, the 40th UNESCO General Conference adopted the new global framework on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD for 2030) for the period of 2020-2030. The global framework for implementation of ESD is the follow up to the Global Action Programme on ESD (GAP, 2015-2019). ESD for 2030 aims to build a more just and sustainable world through strengthening ESD and contributing to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The framework will focus on integrating ESD and the 17 SDGs into policies, learning environments, capacity building of educators, empowerment and mobilisation of youth, and local level action. Furthermore, UNESCO also plans to host a ‘UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development’, after the world recovers from this ongoing crisis. The Conference will raise awareness of these challenges, highlight the crucial role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a key enabler for the successful achievement of all SDGs, and create momentum for strengthening ESD in policy and practice.
ESD is aimed at internalising the unintended effects of one’s actions on others. By introducing subjects such as gender studies and environmental sustainability, education systems across the world are trying to ingrain among their students these concepts at a very young age. Through multidisciplinary, inter-disciplinary and multidimensional approaches, the overall objective of the exercise hinges around the idea of translating academic concepts into relatable real-life challenges and finding their solutions. ESD’s focus on often ignored soft skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership and communication, equipping students with the right toolkit to deal with these challenges. These assertions are also backed by evidence. Evidence from across the world suggests that ESD curricula help students develop a deeper understanding of real-life challenges that the global community is facing. These include but are not limited to- climate change, socio-economic inequality, gender bias and peace-building. Through such a holistic approach, ESD seems to have not only developed virtues such as empathy and compassion, but is also correlated with better grades and a wider range of future academic and professional opportunities for students. It is, therefore, not surprising that UNESCO is pursuing this objective very rigorously and is working with policy-makers and educational institutions across the world to scale these efforts up. However, a lot still remains to be done.
As much as we may want to wish, the COVID-19 crisis will not be the last such aggregate shock. By not focusing on skills aimed at sustainable cohabitation, we have already produced several generations of adults who may not be psychologically equipped to deal with such challenges. Our best hope, in such a case, is to begin as soon as possible and churn out the next generation of community leaders who can think not only for themselves but also for those around them. COVID-19 might just be a trailer for several such challenges that await us.
Implementation Methodology
The concept will have three pillars of application viz knowledge, skills and attitudes. The curriculum will be so structured that all three aspects are taken care of. There will be an online support system that will ensure easy implementation under these pillars. Host of study material, activity ideas, audio visuals, contact programmes, workshops, camps, etc will be factored in to achieve desirable results under each of these verticals.