The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Red Sea and

Gulf of Aden Environment - PERSGA

Fact sheet
Workshop on Education for Sustainability of
Marine and Coastal Resources
January 21-24, 2007

Aqaba-Jordan

Introduction

Aligned with the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development-ESD (2005-
2014 ) and as a response to its commitment to the Islamic Declaration, the Millennium
Declaration and the WSSD recommendations PERSGA will join the international efforts in
promoting the need to re-orientate the role of education within the sustainability agenda.

PERSGA Regional Initiative on Education for Sustainability - RIEFS

This RIEFS will contribute to PERSGA efforts in protecting coastal and marine resources and to
improve the accessibility and effectiveness of coastal education and capacity building initiatives.
The Initiative will study and evaluate experiences in management and community education to
identify the critical success factors associated with management and change outcomes in coastal
management. Furthermore, a major output of the RIEFS is the development of an indicators tool
for coastal management education and capacity building. The indicator tool will assist in
promoting good practice and assessing how current schemes are aligned with the objectives of
the Jeddah Convention and the PERSGA Operational Framework.

The first stage of the PERSGA RIEFS will focus on School Education by promoting the Whole-
School Sustainability approach (the Sustainable School) (Annex 1).

PERSGA Experience in Environmental Education - “Because I care”Programme

In 2001, the PERSGA prograamme on environmental education “Because I care” was launched.
The main achievements of this programme are:
1- the establishment of 150 Eco-clubs in the PERSGA Region;

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2- Production of Teacher training materials on both forma and no-formal environmental

education;
3- Teacher training workshops;
4- The production of the Environmental Education Learning Supplement (EELS) on the
environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden which has the following purposes:
a. As a source of reference material that can be adapted for use in the core
curriculum of the schools in the region at a variety of educational levels (primary,
junior high school, secondary);
b. As a ready-to use classroom aide for teachers that can be incorporated directly
into the normal learning environment or used for environmental club activities.
The focus of the activities should be hands-on or practically oriented and the data
collected will be shared electronically between the schools in the region.

The programme was very successful and gained a great support from and highly acknowledged
by national, regional and international organizations.

Objectives of the workshop

The major objectives of the workshop are to:

1- Design the best approach to implement the programme by reviewing and learning from
many nationwide, whole-school initiatives around the world that reflect a range of
innovative approaches to sustainability and be aligned with the UNESCO “Draft
International Implementation Scheme (IIS)” for the UN Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development was approved at the UNESCO Executive Board session in
September 2005;
2- Build a broad framework of national Education for Sustainability indicators that will be
used to assess the effectiveness of national EFS initiatives, report on progress and
improve implementation and effectiveness of the regional and national policies and
programs on sustainable development;
3- Prepare an easy to use manual for teachers (in Arabic) on ‘educating for sustainable
development” along with a trainer guide and a website.

Participants

Participants of this course should be educators, teachers, environmentalist, experts in

environmental education and coastal management.

The total expected number for this course is not to exceed 15 participants.

Date and Duration

The duration of the course is four working days and will be conducted during January Sunday
21- Wednesday 24, 2007.

Location:
Education forSustainability-Aqaba, 2007
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Aqaba Marine Park - Aqaba - Jordan.

Organizers

The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment
(PERSGA) and the Aqaba Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA).

Language

The training language is English; however, Arabic translation will be available upon request.

Training Materials/References

The training will be based on a number of nationwide initiatives; particularly the following
initiatives and resources:
1- The UNESCO Draft International implementation Scheme for the United Nations
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) ;
2- The Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES);
3- The “Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit” developed by Dr Rosalyn
McKeown - University of Tennessee-USA.

Instructors

The course will be instructed by a team of experts as follows:

1- Khulood A. Tubaishat
Advisor-Policy and Project Development
PERSGA

2- Dr. Rosalyn McKeown

Director
The Center for Geography and Environmental Education
University of Tennessee

3- Dr. Daniella Tilbury

Associate Professor, ARIES Director
The Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES)
Graduate School of Environment
Macquarie University
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Tentative outline

Session 1 - Introduction
 Opening session
 Introduce organizations, instructors and participants (who are we?)
 Introduction to the course (why are we here?)

Session 2 - Sustainable Development

 What is sustainable development and how to link the concept to our daily life?
Interactive presentations, activities and exercises

Session 3 – Education for sustainability –EFS

 History - The shift from environmental education into EFS
 What is EFS?
 The global initiative
The Whole-School Sustainability approach (what is it and examples)

Session 4 - Education for Sustainability Indicators

 The experience of the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES)
(to assess the effectiveness of EFS initiatives, report on progress and improve
implementation and effectiveness of the regional and national policies and programs on
sustainable development)

Session 5 – Because I care – the PERSGA Regional Initiative on Education for

Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Resources
 Design the best approach to implement the programme
(by reviewing and learning from many nationwide, whole-school initiatives around the
world that reflect a range of innovative approaches to sustainability and be aligned with the
UNESCO “Draft International Implementation Scheme (IIS)” for the UN Decade of
Education for Sustainable Development was approved at the UNESCO Executive Board
session in September 2005)
Education forSustainability-Aqaba, 2007
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1. Tentative Agenda

Day One Day Two Day Three Day Four

8:30 8:30 8:30
Session 2- sustainable session 5 - design the
9:00 Session 1 - introduction 9:00 9:00 session 4 - Indicators 9:00
development programme
10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00
10:30 Break 10:30 10:30 10:30
10:50 Session 1 - introduction 10:50 10:50 10:50
session 5 - design the
Session 2- sustainable session 3 - EFS session 4 - Indicators
programme
development
13:00 Lunch 13:00 13:00 13:00
14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00
Session 2- sustainable session 5 - design the
session 3 - EFS session 4 - Indicators
development programme
15:30 Break 15:30 15:30 15:30
15:45 15:45 15:45 15:45
Session 2- sustainable
16:30 16:30 session 3 - EFS 16:30 session 4 - Indicators 16:30 concluding
development
17:50 summary of the day 17:50 summary of the day 17:50 summary of the day 17:50 closing of event
18:00 closing 18:00 closing 18:00 closing 18:00

20:00 Evening session 20:00 Evening session 20:00 Evening session 20:00
session 3 - EFS
22:00 22:00 22:00 social event 22:00

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Annex 1-The Whole-School Sustainability approach
Whole-school approaches to sustainability are a recent phenomenon, emerging predominantly
during the last decade. Outlining a specific vision for a sustainable school is a process which
needs to be mapped out by schools and local stakeholders. However, the following are number of
key features which characterise visions of a 'sustainable school':

• School leadership which places sustainability at the heart of school planning and
practice. It engenders democratic and participatory whole-school decision-making
processes;
• Whole-school participation in undertaking school action and improvement plans;
• Reciprocal community, family and stakeholder partnerships;
• Participatory learning approaches which engender students skills and competencies for
critical thinking, intercultural perspectives, participation and citizenship;
• Integration of EE and EFS across all key learning areas in the curriculum;
• Hidden curriculum which reflects key messages and ideas supported by the taught
curriculum;
• Regular professional development for teachers, school management and program
partners and facilitators;
• 'Greening' of the school and physical surroundings;
• Classrooms within and outside school boundaries;
• Reductions in a school's ecological footprint (through resource consumption and
environmental improvements);
• Regular monitoring, reflection and evaluation procedures which inform future actions.
The school is not just the centre of learning but is also a 'learning organisation' itself;
• Practitioner research which encourages reflective practice of teachers and promotes
improved performance.

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Sustainable Schools-Leadership

The critical issue in the Sustainable School approach is enhancing the leadership skills of
the students. At the heart of school improvement is the desire to help each individual
student realize their full potential and become an enthusiastic lifelong learner.
Sustainable development offers schools a powerful framework for achieving this aim, not
just by contributing towards raising standards, but by developing the whole child within
their community and wider world.

A school that addresses the social and emotional needs of its students, that fosters their
confidence in learning and promotes healthy living, that bridges divides in its community
and instills a sense of care for the environment, is well on track to becoming a sustainable
school.

Sustainable schools aim to prepare young people for a lifetime of sustainable living,
through their teaching, their fabric and through the example of their day-to-day practices.
A school built on the core principles of sustainable development will encourage care:

• care for ourselves - our health and well-being

• care for others - across cultures and distances
• care for the planet - both locally and globally
• care for future generations.

A sustainable school puts a high value on the well-being of its students and the school
environment. Its classrooms are welcoming, clean and reassuring places to learn
reinforced by staff demonstrating positive, caring, responsible behaviours. Little is wasted
and anything surplus to requirements is recycled, composted or donated. The school takes
health seriously, taking the message out into the community and supports local suppliers
where it can.

Sustainable schools are not just well-managed, caring schools. They are also great places
to learn, where students develop self-esteem and reach high standards of achievement.
Care is demonstrated in new ways and new contexts, opening students’ eyes to the
possibilities of sustainable living.
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