Tomorrow Today

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Establishing enriched learning in Japan:

participation and partnership

Nobuo Fujishima, Secretary-General, Japanese National Commission for UNESCO,

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan

he Government of Japan has been promoting ESD in coop-

eration with relevant stakeholders since the establishment

in 2006 of Japan’s Action Plan for the United Nations

Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD).

Following the midpoint of the DESD, we would like to introduce

Japan’s efforts to promote education for sustainable development

(ESD).

Features of ESD in Japan

Even before the start of the DESD, activities addressing participatory,

problem-solving learning had been conducted, not only in schools,

but also in institutions of higher education, social educational facili-

ties, communities and enterprises in Japan. Efforts are being made

to advance this approach in diverse educational fields, including

environmental education, human rights and welfare education,

peace education and development education, while incorporating

environmental, economic and social perspectives.

These have evolved into actions for partnerships and ESD integra-

tion initiatives that are taking root in communities and developing

into efforts to build sustainable communities by linking the wisdom

of traditional lifestyles with natural, industrial and cultural resources

and also with the school curriculum.

In line with the development of ESD, these activities are increas-

ingly pursued through partnerships involving schools, community

centres and other local government bodies, non-governmental

organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs), institu-

tions of higher education, enterprises and others.

These activities have had positive outcomes – ESD in school educa-

tion has led to the cultivation of ‘zest for living’ and ESD rooted in

local communities has proved a powerful tool for building and revi-

talizing communities. It enables residents to discover the qualities of

their community, nurtures affection for and pride in the community,

and raises people’s awareness as members of the community.

Building an action framework

Establishment of the Interministerial Meeting on the DESD

The government established an Interministerial Meeting

within the

Cabinet in December 2005 to strive for close coordination among

administrative bodies concerned with implementing the measures

related to the DESD and to promote the effective and comprehensive

implementation of these measures.

The Interministerial Meeting drafted Japan’s Action Plan for the

DESD in March 2006, stating that ESD implementation should favour:

• Programmes leading to community building

• Diverse places of education and implementing actors

• An integrated approach under various agendas

• Learning from participation and experience

• Nurturing abilities for social participation

• Coordination and collaboration between diverse actors.

With the related ministries and agencies steadily carry-

ing out various measures stipulated in the Action Plan,

the government, by keenly promoting ESD, aims to

create a world where everyone may enjoy the benefits

of high quality education and learn the values, actions

and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and social

changes, and where every organization may participate

in the creation of a sustainable society.

Based on the Action Plan, the government has facili-

tated discussions on measures for implementing ESD

by holding roundtable meetings since 2007 as forums

for the exchange of opinions among academic experts,

educators and related representatives from NPOs and

enterprises.

Primary and secondary education

In 2002, periods for integrated study were incorporated

into the primary and secondary curricula to provide time

for schools to pursue their own creative and distinctive

educational activities, suited to their particular locales

and students’ needs, and to enable children to learn about

issues that span multiple traditional subjects, such as

international understanding, information technology,

the environment, and health and welfare. Issues relating

to the environment and international understanding are

also addressed in individual subjects such as science and

social studies, and various educational programmes are

being taught in schools in line with the principles of ESD.

During the periods for integrated study, children

learn through experience about nature and day-to-day

life and how they relate to industry and society, using

topics such as the local countryside, rivers, traditional

foods and festivals as their subject matter. These study

periods also provide them with opportunities to explore

how society can be made more amenable to diverse

people through interaction with elderly people, foreign-

ers and people with disabilities in the community. A

feature of these activities is that they are enriched by the

cooperation of local people, NPOs, facilities, businesses,

universities, and institutes for community education.