NON-FORMAL EDUCATION FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN CAIRO

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 65 - 91, 28.05.2018

Mennatallah Nada

Abstract

Education
for Sustainable Development (ESD) is important for moving countries toward a
sustainable future. In Egypt, ESD is not a common subject found in the national
formal educational system, so non-formal education in ESD is needed. The
research question is what is the
best-suited structure for an experiential learning based ESD non-formal
education program designed for private middle-school students in Egypt?
To answer this question a review of existing international non-formal ESD
programs and a needs assessment was conducted. The review examined five
programs for common components; these components included activities such as
experiments, camps, research, community engagement, general discussions about
the topic at hand, and post courses activities to ensure the sustainability of
their program. The needs assessment surveyed 285 students and 89 parents, and
15 interviews were conducted with science teachers in five international and private
schools. Questions about the schools’ inclusion of sustainable development
activities, personal behaviors, and specifics about the design of the program
like the length, learning styles used, and the frequency of field trips was
included. The results indicated that respondents saw a need for non-formal ESD
programs in Egypt focused on three main topics; energy, water, and waste. They
felt that the design of the program should be customized according to different
students’ needs regarding the length and timing.  Respondents also mentioned several challenges
that should be considered such as the security status of the country, and the
existing cultural barriers found in the Egyptian society towards conservation
and SD. Based on these results, recommendations for a non-formal ESD program in
Egypt are discussed.

Keywords

sustainable development, non-formal education, needs assessment

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