USM, PENANG, 25 January 2017 - Teachers should be prepared for sustainable development and global citizenship based on the 17 global new agreements on the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 SDGs are divided into several sustainable agendas focusing on Planet, Partnership, People, Peace and Prosperity.

SDGs can only be achieved through a holistic approach with the engagement of various stakeholders.

The UNESCO Chair holder at York University, in Toronto, Canada, Professor Charles Hopkins said that educators and trainers are powerful agents of change who can deliver the required educational responses towards sustainable development.

“Among the Global Action Programme concerning sustainable and global citizenship are the advancement of policies, transformation of learning environments, building capacity of educators and trainers, empowering and mobilising youth and accelerating sustainable solutions at the local levels,” said Charles.

Charles is currently working with the United Nations Vocational and Technical Education Programme (UNEVOC) in Bonn, Germany, on “green” technical and vocational education institutions. He presented a public lecture entitled "Reimagining and Implementing ESD Practices for Education 2030: Learning and Beyond" which was attended by more than 250 participants from USM and teachers from all over Penang, together with participants from RCE Tongyeong in Korea, RCE Greater Western Sydney in Australia, RCE Srinagar and RCE Delhi in India and RCE Dhaka in Bangladesh through live streaming.

The lecture was organised by RCE Penang in collaboration with the USM School of Educational Studies.

Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain / Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa