[MELUSI]

in reply to: Reflect on Learning Action 1 #5383

Institute of Development Management Vision
The vision of the Institute of Development Management (IDM) is to be “The leading provider of quality and innovative education, management and skills development services in the region and beyond”
Institute of Development Management Mission
The mission of the Institute of Development Management (IDM) is to “Provide sustainable skills development through industry relevant education, training, research and consulting.”

1. To what extent does it reflect your understanding of sustainable development?

The vision of IDM is to a great extent reflecting my comprehension of sustainable development due to the fact that it strives to lead in the production of quality and innovative education, management and skills development services for the region and the entire globe. My understanding of quality and innovative education is that the IDM will strive to combine their efforts in ensuring that whatever they do consider all the demands of all the sustainable development goals. They will make sure that their processes and/or operations do not negatively impact the environment in all its forms; but will support sustainable development at all costs. They are also equipped to transform their populace and the entire globe in terms of improving their management skills so to ensure that all environmental concerns are integrated into any development. The research component of the vision also inculcate confidence for the creation and adoption of clear and sound development as well as educational policies that will cater for the production of well-trained and balanced graduates.

The mission of the Institute of Development Management is to “Provide sustainable skills development through industry relevant education, training, research and consulting.”
It is to a larger extent aligned with my understanding of sustainable development since it seek to ensure the production of industry relevant personnel. People who will be able to meet the demands of the industry without compromising the principles of sustainable development.

2. To what extent does it reflect the definition of sustainable development that reads “Sustainable Development is development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”? Do you think this is needed or not?
It is needed. It has met the definition of sustainable development in that it is giving the long life skills to the people to develop the nation by participating in the development of the country not just waiting for the same government to employ them but helping the government to create employment for others.
3. To what extent does your institution’s Vision and Mission statement reflect the objectives of ESD and the GAP?
Have a clear learning transformative learning (ESD) thrust and it foster lifelong learning skills
4. How would you reframe/restate your institution’s Vision and Mission statement to more substantively reflect SD and ESD (based on your understandings of these concepts and your context)?
There is no need to iterate them because they already reflect the ES and ESD.

How this Learning Action has helped you to re-view your TE/TVET programmes?
This Learning Action helped me to understand the major differences and similarities between SD and ESD and think about the content that I teach in my own context. It has further allowed me to re-focus on the institution mission statement and the vision and how they relate to the SDGs and the ESD especially for the 21st century teacher we produce through training.

It enabled me ascertain whether our programmes are aligned to SDG’s and more importantly SDG 4. A critical review of programmes using the Action Learning Framework would be a useful exercise in order to identify gaps and make our programmes more responsive to ESD.

How can you work towards a more critical understanding of SD and ESD in your context?

Start by reviewing module content (what we teach), pedagogy (how we teach) assessment (finding alternative assessment methods) that help in the development of 21st teacher competencies.
There is need to identify the existing gaps in the TE curriculum so that it is in line with the SDG 4, Target 4.7 and ensure that the ESD is the focus of the learning that goes on every day

What still needs to be discussed and taken forward?

Assessment part has been missing in line with ESD. So, there is need to work more towards assessment of student participation in the projects under ESD so that this can also be part of the final score in all subjects assessed. Furthermore, find out the extent the SDGs and ESD have been implemented in the curriculum at TE level.

Who is ultimately responsible -or rather who will take up responsibility for transformative changes in the Faculty. To identify like-minded people willing to drive ESD within the faculty.

Can you prepare some suggestions for colleagues / your department / your TE/TVET institution? What would you emphasise?
i.
There must be emphasis on how Teacher Educators integrate or incorporate ESD in their daily planning and teaching against the allocated time in the curriculum. Also would emphasize on the students involvement in all Change Projects so as for them to acquire the necessary sustainable skills and competences for future survival.

ii. Identify the ‘Change Agents’ or ‘Charge Drivers’
Follow the Action Learning Framework – critically take each TE programme through the process of assessing its responsiveness to SD and ESD, GAP priority areas and SDG 4
Establish COP in different programmes and across programmes

iii. Placing emphasis on SDG 4 with specific reference to Target 4.7, the GAP priority areas, and developing teachers for ESD and the 21st century competencies

[MELUSI]

in reply to: Reflect on Learning Action 1 #5237

How this Learning Action has helped you to re-view your TE/TVET programmes?
This Learning Action helped me to understand the major differences and similarities between SD and ESD and think about the content that I teach in my own context. It has further allowed me to re-focus on the institution mission statement and the vision and how they relate to the SDGs and the ESD especially for the 21st century teacher we produce through training.

It enabled me ascertain whether our programmes are aligned to SDG’s and more importantly SDG 4. A critical review of programmes using the Action Learning Framework would be a useful exercise in order to identify gaps and make our programmes more responsive to ESD.

How can you work towards a more critical understanding of SD and ESD in your context?

Start by reviewing module content (what we teach), pedagogy (how we teach) assessment (finding alternative assessment methods) that help in the development of 21st teacher competencies.
There is need to identify the existing gaps in the TE curriculum so that it is in line with the SDG 4, Target 4.7 and ensure that the ESD is the focus of the learning that goes on every day

What still needs to be discussed and taken forward?

Assessment part has been missing in line with ESD. So, there is need to work more towards assessment of student participation in the projects under ESD so that this can also be part of the final score in all subjects assessed. Furthermore, find out the extent the SDGs and ESD have been implemented in the curriculum at TE level.

Who is ultimately responsible -or rather who will take up responsibility for transformative changes in the Faculty. To identify like-minded people willing to drive ESD within the faculty.

Can you prepare some suggestions for colleagues / your department / your TE/TVET institution? What would you emphasise?
i.
There must be emphasis on how Teacher Educators integrate or incorporate ESD in their daily planning and teaching against the allocated time in the curriculum. Also would emphasize on the students involvement in all Change Projects so as for them to acquire the necessary sustainable skills and competences for future survival.

ii. Identify the ‘Change Agents’ or ‘Charge Drivers’
Follow the Action Learning Framework – critically take each TE programme through the process of assessing its responsiveness to SD and ESD, GAP priority areas and SDG 4
Establish COP in different programmes and across programmes

iii. Placing emphasis on SDG 4 with specific reference to Target 4.7, the GAP priority areas, and developing teachers for ESD and the 21st century competencies

[MELUSI]

in reply to: Understanding Sustainable Development #5067

Sustainable Development
I understand the common definition of sustainable development to be the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition ushers two essentialities. Firstly, overarching significance should be given to meeting the essential needs of the world’s poor, who, usually, do not have access to have the fruits of development. Secondly, we have to be extremely cautious of resource depletion, which will deny the genuine needs of the future generations.
I also personally understand Sustainable Development to be “development of: progress, extension, expansion, enlargement, improvement in environment; social evolutionism (catching up with the developed and industrialized countries); individualism (developing the personality of human being, self-confidence, dignity, happiness); economism (achieving growth, income); and Intensifiers (more democratic and participatory, grass root) assumptions within the “carrying capacity of supporting system/s” such as the Environment, Economics and Society.
Furthermore, I consider sustainable development as the art of managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources in a way, or at a rate, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being and for their health and safety while—
i. sustaining the potential of natural and physical resources (excluding minerals) to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations; and
ii. safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil, and ecosystems; and
iii. avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment
In Eswatini we have a number of policies and legislations that strive to promote sustainable development principles. These are legislations such as the Environmental Management Act No. 5 of 2002.

Education for Sustainable Development
The art of incorporating the principles of sustainable development into education for the best, safe and healthy environment or future we need. It is a process intended to deal with human behavior to avoid high level of environmental or resource depletion for the benefit of both the present and future generations.
Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a process that strives to promote the development of knowledge, skills, understanding, values and actions required to create a sustainable world (the Africa we want), which ensures environmental protection and conservation, promotes social equity and encourages economic sustainability.
There is need to review our curricula to ensure the incorporation of sustainable development principles. Teachers, students and the community need to be introduced into to the culture of aligning their daily operations with the provisions of the sustainable development goals to ensure we achieve the Africa we want by 2063.
Any development project should consider resource conservation, environmental protection, social justice, progression, expansion, individualism, and economism to name but a few.

[MELUSI]

in reply to: Your thoughts on the case studies. #4528

I liked the case study by MaryMount Teachers College though I felt its a kind of project already at the end-pipe – a lot could be be done to limit or control the waste generation rate in the first place – hence I think it is a secondary kind of a project. Also this project is well aligned with the sustainable development goals, in that waste collected during the clean up campaigns is used to produce toys for use by children and it is at the sametime reducing the volumes of wastes for discharge into landfills while it ensure much of the land is available is used profitably. In addition, toys created from the waste play a critical role in ensuring balanced mind development in children – reduces stress. The waste used for agricultural purposes also promote production of vegetables, crops, cash for healthful families- poverty alleviation initiative.

This project influences my education change project in various ways.

[MELUSI]

in reply to: About yourself and your initial Change Project #4526

Greetings Colleagues,
My name is Mr Melusi Ntokozo Simelane, a swazi citizen aged 31 years. I am holding a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management Occupational Safety and Health tenable from the University of Swaziland, Faculty of Health Sciences. I have about 5 years of experience working as an Environmental Inspector, trainer and consultant. Currently, I am working as a Public Health Consultant and Lecturer at the Institute of Development Management College, Eswatini Campus. My educational background and work experience make me believe I best fit in this course.

I have decided to be part of this course because I believe education is the best tool one can ever have to ensure sustainable development at all angles. Acquiring education assist in many ways including escaping poverty, ensuring health and sustained livelihoods, keeping sound and unpolluted environment for us and the future generation, generating economy, ensuring gender balance in all institutional angles to name but a few.

My change project idea is ensuring easy access to education by every person through the integration of available educational enablers(technology) in line with the sustainable development goals. Also I believe means should be worked to ensure environmental protection through education for sustainable livelihoods.

[MELUSI]

in reply to: About yourself and your initial Change Project #4525

My name is Mr Melusi Ntokozo Simelane, a swazi cetizen aged 31 years. I am holding a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management Occupational Safety and Health tenable from the University of Swaziland, Faculty of Health Sciences. I have about 5 years of experience working as an Environmental Inspector, trainer and consultant. Currently, I am working as a Public Health Consultant and Lecturer at the Institute of Development Management College, Eswatini Campus. My educational background and work experience make me believe I best fit in this course.

I have decided to be part of this course because I believe education is the best tool one can ever have to ensure sustainable development at all angles. Acquiring education assist in many ways including escaping poverty, ensuring health and sustained livelihoods, keeping sound and unpolluted environment for us and the future generation, generating economy, ensuring gender balance in all institutional angles to name but a few.

My change project idea is ensuring easy access to education by every person through the integration of available educational enablers(technology) in line with the sustainable development goals. Also I believe means should be worked to ensure environmental protection through education for sustainable livelihoods.

[Author]

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