K EY Q UESTIONS : How does education for sustainable development enhance the attainment of the MDGs? Is ICT necessary in acquisition of expansive learning about the MDGs?

A PPROACHING THE Q UESTION For the purpose of our answer this presentation will: Offer definition of Education For Sustainable Development (ESD) ESD impact on the MDGs Explain how Education For Sustainable Development is in progress in South Africa. Define ICT in developing countries context Examine ICT in South Africa Provide reasons as to why ICT impact the MDGs and development in developing countries.

E DUCATION F OR S USTAINABLE D EVELOPMENT What is Education For Sustainable Development (ESD): A learning process (or approach to teaching) founded on the ideals and principles that motivate sustainability. An education aimed at advancing all levels and types of learning by providing quality education and fostering sustainable human development. UNESCO defines it as “learning to know, learning to be, learning to live together, learning to do and learning to transform oneself and society” ESD is a vision of education that is aimed at people’s empowerment and making people take responsibility for creating a sustainable future. What is Sustainable Development: A system of resource use objected to meeting human needs simultaneously preserving the environment for present and future generations. It encompasses environmental, economic and socio-political development. ESD’s role in attaining MDG: ESD can be viewed as a good parcel for quality education and learning which tackles issues of poverty, climate change, sustainable livelihood, gender equality, Corporate Social Responsibility, protection of indigenous cultures. ESD is a tool that can be used in the obtaining of the MDG and Education for all aims within the MDGs.

ESD ROLE IN S OUTH A FRICAN E DUCATION Wildlife & Environment Society of SA – WESSA is one of the leading environmental education organisations in the country and provides full training and support for environmental educators throughout South Africa. Annually,thousands of pupils and educators take courses on environmental protection and acquire skills of assisting over 1000 school communities in achieving sustainable development in some of the poorest areas in the country. Over 300 schools successfully achieved the internationally recognised Green Flag award in Sustainable Living Education Project - BLSA The program is aimed at the youth - primarily at previously disadvantaged schools - and sets out to provide teachers with the tools to educate young people about responsible living in the human/natural environment and to instil a culture of appreciation and respect for nature. WESSA is among one of many NGOs responsible for ESD in South Africa such as ( to name a few): African Institute for Community-Driven Development (Khanya-aicdd) Gender Links Institute for Global Dialogue Education For all: The Department of Education in South Africa has a constitutional obligation to make high school education progressively available. The Department of Education has committed to expanding opportunities for lifelong learning adult education and training - particularly in partnership with SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authority). Within the South African curriculum learners are required to do Life Orientation - a subject that deals with life-long skills. This ensures that students are educated in class and beyond. NGO roles in ESD in South Africa Department of Education role in South African ESD

I S ICT NECESSARY IN ACQUISITION OF EXPANSIVE LEARNING ABOUT THE MDG S ? What is ICT? Tutor2U.net defines ICT as: any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form We believe that ICT is necessary for the acquisition of learning about the Millennium Development Goals. (When we refer to ICT, we are referring to cellphones, televisions, the internet and radios.) The use of ICT could help in sending messages about things such HIV/AID and immortality to people who live in developing countries where the access to the internet is limited.

ICT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES A survey done in rural areas in Mozambique; India and Tanzania, in 2004, showed that above 80% of the citizens of had access to broadcast media – television and radio, more than 60% were using telephony and only about 2% were using the internet. A survey done in Bangladesh in 2005 showed there were about cellphones in the rural areas of the country.

C ONCLUSION ON ICT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Most people in rural areas have access to radio. The United Nations could use radio to spread the message of the MDGs because a radio broadcast can reach millions and most people in rural areas have access to radio and the broadcasts are mostly provided in a language the people would understand. The problem is that most developing countries do not have many educational shows on their broadcast networks. Most of the shows are American shows and most people in developing countries do not speak English.

ICT IN S OUTH A FRICA Statistics show that from 2001 to 2007, the access to ICT increased drastically. In 2007, 72.9% of the South African population owned a cellphone; 76.6% of had access to radio; 65.6% owned television and only 7.3% had access to the internet. In 2008, the SABC’s national radio network comprised 18 stations broadcasting in 11 languages, reaching an average daily adult audience of 19 million.

C ONCLUSION ON ICT IN S OUTH A FRICA These statistics show that the most effective way to spread the message of the MDGs in South Africa is to use radio and cellphone. Since more than 72.9% of population owns a cellphone and radio reaches more than 19 million people per day, it would be easier to use these two mediums because the message would reach millions of South Africans.

R EFERENCES technology/communications/ Plutonic-Computers iid &pagename=Page&c=DFYPage&site=MSA adoption_rate_grows_in_South_Africa.html enjoying-your-internet-connection.html