National Guidelines on Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC) for Tanzania

This publication is part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) pilot project on institutional strengthening of Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC) – Advancing ESC policy and implementation strategies; a pilot project implemented in Chile, Indonesia and Tanzania (2011-14). This project was implemented by the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE), in collaboration with the UNEP Regional Office for Africa, with the financial support of the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, as well as the UN Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP), Tanzania. This publication was developed in close collaboration with key national and international partners including Tanzania's Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) as well as the Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL). The objectives of these guidelines are to: • Enable Tanzania to better understand the principles of ESC; • Assist in strengthening ESC techniques and teaching methods that incorporate sustainable consumption and lifestyle choices; and • Promote and encourage ESC based on existing pedagogical techniques. These guidelines highlight the philosophy of ESC based on pedagogical techniques, which are participatory, inclusive, contextualized and flexible. The technique deviates from traditional teaching techniques and suggests engaging learners where experience, reflection, critical analysis, tolerance, cooperation, compassion and respect are highly encouraged. These guidelines aim to contribute to shaping Tanzania's basic education system into one that promotes attitudes and behaviour that are geared towards a culture of sustainability. These ESC guidelines have been developed based on the importance, critical contexts and necessity of enhancing education system as a backbone of consumer education, civic training and responsibilities and environmental education for better resource use, management and conservation. The guidelines highlight modalities of achieving ESC in Tanzania by focusing on research areas and optimizing the opportunities that benefit the country. Also, it identifies the current ESC topics and gaps in basic education systems for changing consumption and lifestyles and recommends approaches for overcoming the gaps and maximizing the opportunities. This publication, which will be available in Swahili in late 2015, is a contribution to the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, in particular, the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme.