Contribution to international development report: 2017-2018

Chapter Ten - Education Scotland

10.1. Introduction

Scotland is increasingly linked to people and places across the world: socially, culturally, environmentally, economically and politically. It is more important than ever that Scotland's people take a critical, informed look at global issues, and their roles and responsibilities as active, engaged citizens. Global citizenship education addresses this need, offering an overarching approach to engaging people of all ages with the global social justice issues at the heart of international development.

This report gives details of two approaches which are discussed below, with further details found in Annex E.

10.2 Global Citizenship Education

Infographic:

Infographic text:

1 No Poverty
4 Quality Education
6 Clean Water and Sanitation
7 Affordable and Clean Energy
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
10 Reduced Inequalities
12 Responsible Consumption and Production
13 Climate Action
14 Life Below Water
16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

10.2.1. Background

Global Citizenship Education is embedded within the formal education system in Scotland. The programme, together with sustainable development education and outdoor learning, forms a key element of 'Learning for Sustainability' and is regarded as a theme across all learning within Curriculum for Excellence. This is further enhanced by the inclusion of Learning for Sustainability in key educational guidance and policies such as How good is our school? [Fourth edition] and the General Teaching Council of Scotland Professional Standards. The Scottish Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to Learning for Sustainability as an entitlement for all Scottish pupils by accepting all fourteen recommendations contained in the Vision 2030+ Report.

Scotland is home to a wealth of knowledge and expertise relating to Learning for Sustainability, and partnership working is at the heart of supporting and embedding global citizenship across Scotland. Education Scotland and the Scottish Government liaise with key partners and networks to provide support and guidance. A key example of this is its collaboration with Learning for Sustainability Scotland ( LfSS), Scotland's UN Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development. As a network of expertise and knowledge-sharing, LfSS brings together organisations and individuals from every sector of education, including tertiary and community-based learning and development.

10.2.2. The Projects

Development Education Centres Scotland 2017-18

• Scotland has six regional Development Education Centres that offer practical support for educators, professional development opportunities and innovative learning and teaching projects for Global Citizenship Education. The six centres work both individually and collaboratively with other members of IDEAS: the third sector Global Citizenship Education network to provide locally accessible and face-to-face support for teachers.
• The Development Education Centres provide career long professional learning opportunities for educators in the area of global citizenship. This work supports educators in incorporating global citizenship into their curriculum delivery. The involvement of IDEAS in initiatives such as the Bridge 47 initiative further enhances Scotland's commitment to global citizenship. Bridge 47 is a three-year European Union-funded project, aimed at connecting global educators and policymakers, and in turn supporting them to encourage an educational focus on people, rights and sustainability instead of just economic skills and competition.

The Eco-Schools Scotland Programme

• The Eco-Schools programme is the world's largest network of practitioners and pupils. Over 60 countries now participate in this global initiative, and Scotland's Eco-Schools programme has one of the highest levels of engagement; with 98% of Scottish educational settings now participating. The programme comprises a whole-setting management framework of Seven Elements which support schools to plan and embed action on issues relating to sustainability across their setting and wider community. This is done through a menu of Ten Topics: and in 2017, the Scottish Eco-Schools programme became the first in the world to align these Topics with the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Education Scotland also undertakes their own additional activity to make a wider contribution to International Development and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Education Scotland works with other NGOs to assist them to work with teachers on programmes with a Global Citizenship education purpose, it collaborates with British Council to promote international school partnerships with countries in sub-Saharan Africa which attract support through the Connecting Classrooms programme, and it hosts study visits by education policymakers from overseas to share expertise which can contribute to improvement in their education systems.
• Education Scotland has also worked with the Malawi Ministry of Education for a number of years, underpinned by a partnership working agreement, to support the further development of inspection and improvement capacity in the Malawian education system.

10.2.3. Highland One World Development Education Centre 2016-2017

In 2016, the Highland One World Development Education Centre held a 'Our Food, Our World, Our Future' day to celebrate food as a context for Learning for Sustainability. The day attracted more than 80 teachers and education partners from across the Highlands. In the spirit of Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger, the Highland One World workshops focused on how the teachers could engage learners in making the global food system fairer. They were inspired by an insightful speech from Charlotte Maberly, a gastronomist from Queen Margaret University, and workshops that related to food education.

The day was created in partnership with civil sector organisations and so the Inverness Fair Trade Group provided fair trade tea and coffee and the Highland Multicultural Friends provided a 'Global Food Café' lunch. Furthermore, a range of partners held stalls at the marketplace, including; Flows for the Future, Just Trading, South Highland Outdoor & Woodland Learning, Wild Things!, and Take One Action Film Festival.

The teachers left the day feeling inspired about food education and ready to take their new learning out to pupils across the Highlands.

10.3. Policy Coherence for Development - Scottish Government Curriculum Team, Education Scotland and Civil Society

The Scottish Government has committed to working better together, both internally and externally, to ensure a "do no harm" approach to developing countries and so that policies are identified that can contribute positively to development outcomes.

As a result of this commitment, as set out in the Introduction, the Scottish Government has invited civil society organisations to comment and assist in key areas and their connection to international development over the course of the next year; global citizenship education through education policy is one of the first areas agreed for collaboration.

For example, co-creation between the Scottish Government and INGOs in the policy area of education will see the inclusion of global citizenship (including aspects relating to international development) in a new LfS action plan. The Scottish Government and INGOs will work together to ensure:

• the action plan contains a clear narrative of how global citizenship education contributes to educational attainment in Scotland;
• that the views of learners are considered in the delivery of global citizenship education; and
• that Scotland is outwardly facing in its approach to citizenship education, not just learning about other countries but also considering how they promote global citizenship within education.

The ultimate aim of this work will be to help ensure that Scotland's learners understand what makes a sustainable society and that citizenship on a local, national and global scale is central to this.