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RCE Jordan

RCE Jordan. International Conference on RCEs Yokohama, Japan 12-14 April 2006 Kirsten Neumann. Background Jordan. Constitutional Monarchy since 1946 Parliamentary elections since 1989 Peace Treaty with Israel in 1994 Joined WTO in 2000 Joined the European Free Trade Association in 2001

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RCE Jordan

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  1. RCE Jordan International Conference on RCEs Yokohama, Japan 12-14 April 2006 Kirsten Neumann

  2. Background Jordan • Constitutional Monarchy since 1946 • Parliamentary elections since 1989 • Peace Treaty with Israel in 1994 • Joined WTO in 2000 • Joined the European Free Trade Association in 2001 • Lack of natural resources • 2.6% arable land, rest is arid and semi-arid deserts and desert plateaus • Jordanian population is about 5.8 Million (40% of Palestinian origin; 500,000 Iraqis)

  3. Background Jordan II • National Agenda to lay out goals until 2015 • ranks number 90 on the global UNDP Human Development Index • adult literacy rate of 90% • average life expectancy of 71.3 years • Large income gaps - 30% below national poverty line (acc. to international donor organizations) • Unofficial unemployment rate at 30% • 70% of the country under the age of 29 • Centralization and urbanization - 65% live in the three major cities

  4. JORDAN RCE gap analysis based on stakeholder interviews

  5. Environmental Issues • Freshwater Degradation • Waste Management • Energy generation • Structural Issues: • little integration of environmental issues in all sectors of the economic cycle of the country • little effective coordination between different agencies responsible for environmental issues • a need to educate all people about the environment and its impact on the well being of all

  6. Education • Enrolment ratio in classes 1 to 10 is 94% and in classes 11 to 12 is 75% • JHDR: lack in quality of education, both curricular and structural (facilities) leading to an increase in drop out rates – regional disparity • Education often not perceived as leading to gainful employment

  7. Centre of Strategic Studies Survey • Asked about the most important issue meriting consideration, the following ranking was given: • The most important problem is rated to be “poverty and unemployment” with 54%, • “Financial and administrative corruption” with 28%. • The “Palestinian issue” with 8.9%. • “Enhancing democracy and freedom of expression” and “resolving the Iraqi issue”.

  8. Exchange • High punctual awareness about Sustainable Development in Certain Areas (e.g. either environment or economic development or education), but no integrated holistic view • Little interaction, exchange of information or inter-organizational, inter-disciplinary dialogue between • Activities • Sectors • Faculties • Actors

  9. Cooperation • Lack of cooperation • Information-exchange • Collaboration on activities • Accepting and utilizing knowledge and expertise from other actors or experts of a different field (universities vs. Ministries vs. communities vs. NGOs) • Lack of tools for cooperation (quote: we don’t know how to cooperate) • Working culture

  10. Quality of Education • Neither education in schools nor higher education really caters to the needs of the labor market • Education should teach practical skills and subjects • It should teach interdisciplinary and critical thinking and own initiative as well as theoretical knowledge • Need for graduates with backgrounds on Sustainable Development • Needs to be change in mentality has to be achieved to change from being consumers of knowledge to producers of knowledge • Students ought to be encouraged to be self-reliant and to have confidence in their ability to develop and to claim their rights and to influence change.

  11. Teaching methods • Teaching methods do not encourage critical thinking or creativity - no holistic approach • Teaching is teacher centered instead of student centered • Lack of emphasis on soft skills • Lack of empowerment • Lack of fostering the development of citizenship, responsibility and action

  12. Cultural Issues • Need to nurture local identity AND focus on global issues • Need to integrate tradition and modernity • Identities • Values • Frameworks • Development

  13. The RCE JORDAN

  14. Current Stakeholders of RCE • Ministry of Education • Educational plans for all formal education • Curriculum development • Implementation of ERFKE • Ministry of Environment • Strong knowledge and expertise on all environmental issues in Jordan • Environmental laws and regulations • Trade and Environment Committee • JUST • Environmental Science and Technology research • Capacity building and consultancy

  15. Current Stakeholders II • IUCN WESCANA • Environment and Conservation • Advocacy and non-formal education • Plans to establish a regional ESD programme • RSCN • Creation and maintenance of national parks • Income generating activities for park residents • Nature teams in schools (about 1000) • ESD manual for MoEdu prepared • Training of trainers • Regional project of ESD, preparing materials for pupils age 10-15

  16. Current Stakeholders III • JU department of education • Research on education and curriculum development • Teacher training • Private Schools • Formal primary and secondary education • Holistic education concept: example of good practice • JCPP • Industry cooperation • Cooperation among many stakeholders on SD • Expertise and training on cleaner production • JU Water & Environment Research and Training Centre • Technical expertise on water issues • Donor cooperation • Training of students

  17. Stakeholders IV • JRF • Community development and capacity building experience • Economic development projects expertise • Income generating projects with environmental aspects • JOHUD/ZENID • Community work on improvement of education • Empowerment of women and youth • MECANA project: rights approach • Work with municipalities and local authorities • Advocacy and campaigning work • CDCs network: community needs assessments • Strengthen the development aspect in SD

  18. RCE Jordan Vision & Mission Vision To achieve an improved quality of life through the integration and implementation of Education for Sustainable Development Mission To develop, advance, and integrate concepts, tools and mechanisms, of Education for Sustainable Development into all relevant sectors in Jordan.

  19. Process • Stakeholders were approached by UNU-ILI • Baselines Study and interviews • Initial workshop with 10 original stakeholders (25 Sept. 2006) - ESD in general • Second workshop with 13 stakeholders, 21 Nov. 2006 - draft objectives, draft working structure • Inauguration 21 Nov. 2006 (Min. Edu, Min. Env. Rector UNU) • More stakeholder consultations on activities • Third workshop, 30 March 2006 - Mission, Vision, objectives, principles, structure, working groups established

  20. Working Structure • Steering Committee: • Representatives of the founding stakeholders • In addition each stakeholder group has to choose a representative, who has to report back to the stakeholder group => represents a capacity building exercise • Private Schools • Public Schools • Private Universities • Public Universities • Military Colleges • Reports to the collective of the participating institutions in the RCE • Meets every 1 month • Has decision making power • Stakeholders designate their support, participation and representative via a Memorandum of Understanding

  21. Working Structure II • Secretariat to: • Facilitate inclusion of more stakeholders • Facilitate communication between the stakeholders (e-group, newsletter) • Builds website in cooperation with stakeholders • Facilitate access to global learning space • Create a knowledge base (actors, research, roster of experts, e-library) • Working Groups: • Open for more stakeholders who are not in the steering committee • Regularly report back to the steering committee • Communicate via their own e-groups and website corner • Financial Stability: • Will be established in the long term

  22. Prioritized Objectives I 1. Enhance and strengthen, evolve and co-create a space for communication, cooperation and knowledge sharing among all stakeholders involved in ESD; 2. facilitate the integration of ESD into formal curriculum at schools and higher education 3. facilitate the integration of ESD into the informal educational sector 4. raise awareness for the best applicable knowledge and resources on SD; 5. identify, promote, and utilize or replicate examples of appropriate practices in ESD; 6. facilitate fundraising for ESD related activities

  23. Prioritized Objectives II 7. facilitate the development of high quality, preferably innovative teaching modules, [evaluation] [testing modules], and materials for ESD and develop the capacity of human resources necessary to implement these modules and use the materials 8. facilitate collaborative research on ESD; 9. facilitate dialogue to translate SD into a regional cultural context; 10. facilitate multi-disciplinary thinking and education 11. facilitate voluntary contributions to RCE activities 12. Review, [evaluate] and improve the RCE’s structures and activities on a regular basis

  24. Long-term Goal RCE-Jordan could serve as an example of good practice to other countries in the Middle East with similar cultural, political, religious, social and environmental backgrounds

  25. Guiding Principles • Projects and programs supported by the RCE must be committed fully to: • environmental and social ethics • equity between the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainable development • coordination with various entities governmental, non-governmental, and local communities • ensuring the sustainability of various activities or projects • work on the basis of national policies • benefiting from the best available applicable experiences, knowledge, and resources

  26. Immediate Working Groups • Committee to identify good practice • Mandate for this Working Group written by UNU • Can start working in May • RCE collaboration with Ministry of Education on changing the curriculum • Members: RSCN, JRF, IUCN, JU, HU, Public School Rep., Teacher, Student, Ministry of Education, Curriculum Department • Media working group • Establish a Media and Awareness Raising Strategy, bring together Media Reps of RCE members, perhaps organize a small conference • Organize a high-level dialogue on translating concepts of SD to local cultural context • Led by IUCN-WESCANA • Deadline: Next working meeting in May

  27. Immediate Working Groups II • Funding and Proposal Writing Group • Development of a Fund raising strategy • Lead by the UNU-ILI, compiling International Funding overview • RCE members to send information on local and regional funding sources • Next meeting establishment of a funding group • Awareness raising symposium • Long term strategy working group • Members: JCPP, RSCN, Min. Env., JUST, JU, IUCN, JOHUD, Min. Higher Education, UNU-ILI

  28. Immediate Projects • Taking complete stock of stakeholders and activities with the aim to create a database • Lead by the UNU but everyone is evolved • Deadline: End of April • Establish a communication structure consisting of E-Mail E-groups and a basic BLOG website • Lead by UNU • Deadline: Before May • Collect existing Education Materials on SD • Everyone to write a little description for their materials, containing information on the original intent, target group, experiences made, distribution, availability, language, format • Deadline: rolling

  29. Ideas for future activities • Field Days and 4 day Nature Camps • “TV for the Environment” and Media Training • Water Learning Course Materials for Children • High Level Dialogue on SD • Symposium on ISO 1400 for Industry • Symposium on ESD in Jordan (100-200 part.) • Teacher Training Manual • Case Studies on ESD from IUCN’s global conservation learning network • examples of good practice of schools integrating ESD in their curriculum - award a price • Research into where Quran supports Sustainable Development • Research into traditional knowledge and practices for SD • Greening the Campus Initiative

  30. Research Proposal for RCE GLS • Research Group on Transformative Education in a cultural and religious context • Who: RCEs located in countries with a conservative religious background • Why: some RCE Jordan stakeholders voiced concern on offending cultural and religious customs by facilitating ESD (always sparks lively discussions and keeps coming up) • Basis for ESD in the Middle East - a regional baseline study

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