Memorandum from the Learning and Skills
Development Agency
INTRODUCTION
1. The Learning and Skills Development Agency
(LSDA) is a strategic national resource for the development of
policy and practice in post-16 education and training. Our activities
include research, with partners, to inform the development of
policy and practice for post-16 education and training. We have
a clear brief to work across the sector, providing support for
colleges, work-based training, adult and community learning, and
schools post-16, with a particular focus on quality.
2. The LSDA sees sustainability as an important
strategic issue for post-16 learning, since it underpins both
social health and economic well-being. LSDA has published support
material aimed at developing the curriculum within the learning
and skills sector on issues related to sustainability. With the
Association of Colleges (AoC), we were commissioned by the Government's
Sustainable Development Education Panel to produce "Towards
Sustainability—a guide to environmental management for FE
colleges". We have also monitored and evaluated environmental
projects in further education colleges in England[1]
(see Appendix 1 Executive Summary). We are continuing this work
with the LSC funded Learning to Last Projects 02-03 (see Appendix
2, location and summary of aims of 11 current projects)
3. The LSDA's strategic Learning to Last
project focuses on the need to integrate sustainability principles
and practices into all levels of post-16 education. Through a
series of seminars and a related publication LSDA supported debates
in the sector on issues that were subsequently raised at a higher
level at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
the Earth Summit (Johannesburg) in September 2002. Learning to
Last was a collaboration with Forum for the Future and the Sustainable
Development Education Panel. The title "Learning to Last"
has now been adopted by the Learning and Skills Council for its
funded projects this year and is also being used by the Sustainable
Development Education Panel.
GENERAL COMMENTS
4. We welcome the fact that the Committee
will be considering how to increase and enhance the impact of
education for sustainable development (ESD) issues on policymaking
and implementation within government and those organisations with
which it works in partnership at national, regional and local
level. A particular challenge is to overcome the tendency for
Government departments to operate in isolation from each other.
This compartmentalisation can adversely affect coherent policy
development. Sustainable development principles and associated
educational work should be fully integrated into all government
departments rather than being essentially the responsibility of
one department.
5. There is much good work that has been
developed in schools, the learning and skills sector and in universities
but it is often primarily concerned with environmental issues
when sustainable development should be related more broadly to
everyday life. Sustainable development involves processes of economic
development, democratic renewal, community regeneration, environmental
protection and efficient energy production and consumption. It
is therefore an opportunity to realise joined up policy-making
and implementation.
QUESTION 1
Is a lack of public engagement and understanding
a real obstacle to the Government's progress on its sustainable
development agenda? Have there been any studies to show this?
Please refer to practical examples where possible.
No. The problem often lies in the inability
of people and of government to make sense of the world in terms
that articulate with the ethics and conceptual framework of sustainable
development. People get flooded (global warming), get stuck in
traffic jams (quality of life), are concerned about food safety
(GM) and so on. People care about endangered species, environmental
pollution, poverty, conflict and famine when they see programmes
on television but this concern is not transforming and is not
exploited effectively through formal learning in school, college
or at the workplace. Informal learning takes place and so becomes
part of the fabric of everyday life but too often remains compartmentalised
and not connected to formal education.
6. An exception would be the Eden Project
in Cornwall which is a theme park that offers an approach to environment
and sustainability that effectively engages people.
7. The media appear to understand that there
is enormous public interest in the past as a means of developing
a sustainable future, and that an understanding of the natural
world supports thinking related to finite resource issues. More
people now belong to environmental and conservation organisations
than are paid up members of political parties. The priority therefore
is for a programme of learning opportunities that builds upon
this latent support for sustainability and helps individuals to
make sense of their circumstances.
QUESTION 2
Is there a need for a national strategy for education
for sustainable development? Would additional infrastructure be
required to deliver a coherent, national strategy?
Yes
8. A national strategy is required though
existing bodies are well placed to develop and deliver it if there
is a clear vision and leadership. Developments would be supported
by a clear signal from DfES about the priority that should be
given to ESD. DfES could also review how ESD might be promoted
across the range of agencies and functions for which it is responsible.
9. Assumptions are often made that the implementation
of sustainable practices will incur high costs. LSDA does not
believe that this is true, rather that better use can be made
of existing funds (together with collaborative funds at a regional
level eg ESF money). Although small-scale, the Learning to Last
projects funded from the Standard Funds demonstrate both an impact
on quality improvement and value for money.
10. Education for sustainable development
could be at the heart of the work of the DfES and could be co-ordinated
across the full range of the Department's responsibilities. It
could become a key and integral element of the work of all bodies
responsible for education particularly Ofsted, ALI and QAA. In
the LSC sector the new curriculum frameworks being developed by
the Standards Unit could make specific reference to sustainability.
QCA could consider how new curricula, new approaches to assessment
and new methods of delivery could take account of sustainability[2]This
would inevitably have an impact on initial teacher training and
continuing professional development needing the involvement of
FENTO, TTA and the new Leadership College for the learning and
skills sector.
11. The role of the SSDA and sector skills
councils will allow the embedding the business case for sustainable
development in the accreditation of individuals and organisations.
They are in a position to influence the both content of Foundation
degrees and the occupational standards which will apply to their
delivery.
12. The Learning and Skills Council has
funded projects on aspects of sustainability over the last two
years. They have demonstrated the range of opportunities in the
sector to develop and incorporate good practice in both the post-16
curriculum and institutional practice. We are pleased that the
LSC has announced its intention to give further support to such
development work in the future with a particular emphasis on the
curriculum.
13. Important as these initiatives have
been we feel that yet more could be done to encourage a strategic
approach to ESD by the LSC. We welcome the fact that the need
to consider sustainability issues is set out in the remit letter
to the Council, however this could be reinforced by references
in the annual grant letter that highlights ministers' priorities.
LSC staff, particularly those in local offices, would welcome
evidence of the continuing concern of ministers to justify ESD
as a priority alongside other important concerns.
14. We expressed our support for the Sustainable
Development Education Panel (DEFRA) in the review of its activities
(April 02). We continue to believe that a national group of this
type is needed and suggest that it might derive added strength
if its membership was reviewed to include organisations engaged
in the delivery of education and skills (such as the Adult Learning
Inspectorate, Ofsted, and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority,
for example).
15. On a wider issue the government has
recently announced a fund of £30 billion to be spent on refurbishment
of educational establishments. The sustainability agenda affords
an excellent opportunity to develop a holistic approach to the
commissioning of these new projects. Further, it provides an opportunity
for institutional practice to reinforce curriculum content.
QUESTION 3
Are existing awareness raising Government campaigns
such as "Are you doing your bit" effective and well
targeted? Have past campaigns been evaluated? How could they be
improved in the future?
No
16. Various organisations have been directly
involved in government campaigns such as "Going for Green".
Their effectiveness appears to have been limited. This is perhaps
surprising given the evidence of interest shown by the public
in a whole range of sustainability issues that are presented through
the media. It underlines our concern that the education system,
at all levels, should be helping individuals and groups to make
sense of the world through an intellectually coherent approach
to sustainability; and that a consistent message needs to be reinforced
through the many arms of government.
QUESTION 4
Are there existing education programmes relating
to sustainable development which might be considered good practice?
These might include in-house training schemes for ESD for employees
and stakeholders within businesses, the civil service, and other
organisations. Are there elements of successful, strategic communication
programmes in other areas which could be applied to ESD? For example,
from other Government awareness campaigns such as those for drink
driving, AIDS and smoking.
Yes
17. There are plenty of examples of good
strategic work in education for sustainability. Commitment to
sustainability is quite high in some regions eg South West, East
Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber. The Yorkshire and Humber region
already has a Regional Sustainable Development Education Strategy
for 2001-10 endorsed by the Government Office, Regional Assembly
and Environment Agency. It has become part of the Regional Sustainable
Development Framework. Yorkshire Forward is part funding the implementation
of this strategy over the next three years which will involve
building on existing work in schools, colleges, universities,
regeneration partnerships and businesses.
18. As mentioned above the LSC has funded
some modest regional Education for Sustainability projects which
have partnership as a major focus. The Learning Skills and Development
Agency and the Sector Skills Development Agency are interested
in the integration of sustainability into post-16 education and
skills training. These initiatives need to be more extensively
developed and their results disseminated.
19. Sustainable development indicators have
been developed by the former DETR and are now being implemented
by DEFRA and these should be highlighted in regional planning.
DEFRA is piloting an important integrated policy appraisal tool
to enable the assessment of medium to long-term impact of strategy
and local projects. Without such evaluation there is a potential
risk that large amounts of public money could be wasted in effort
that leaves no long term foot print. Many Regional Development
Agencies (RDAs) have now developed strategies for sustainability
and are funding activity which will involve building on work in
schools, colleges, universities, regeneration partnerships and
businesses. Higher education institutions have an important role
to play within the regional research observatories which will
play an increasing role in regional regeneration strategies.
February 2003
1 This work was commissioned by the Learning and Skills
Council (LCS) an its predecessor, the Further Education funding
Council (FEFC). Back
2
See Cohen, J and James, S with Blewitt, J (eds) (2002). Learning
to Last, skills sustainability and strategy. Learning and Skills
Development Agency. Back
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