Schools have been urged to engage in Education for Sustainable Development, (ESD) programs that enhance educational innovations and promote sustainable development.
This comes after SIhlengeni Primary School from Bulawayo was awarded $50 000 sustainable educational prize for winning the permaculture project competition last year.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Harare, Peter Musaziwa, who was representing Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavima said,”The UNESCO-Japan prize brings together schools as one family to promote Education for Sustainable Development and strengthen regional collaborative efforts.”
“ESD should embrace the concept because it is for the benefit of us all and the future generations. The new trend in education is to foster holistic development of an individual in order to fully participate and survive in the modern world,” added Mavima.
Head teacher of the winning school, who is also the project manager ,expressed gratitude over the award while urging other schools to do such projects so as to raise the flag of Zimbabwe abroad.
“We are very great full for the award as it was unexpected,” he said.
He added,”There is so much to learn especially with other schools, to do that and therefore, to show that world what Zimbabwe is capable of doing.”
Professor Hubert Gijzen, the UNESCO regional Director for Southern African said the concept is in line with 2030 agenda of Sustainable Development Goals.
“You will agree with me that the Agenda 2030 and its 17SDGs present the most ambitious and comprehensive commitment the international community has ever made to achieve an end to extreme poverty, among other targets,” said Prof Gijzen.
