Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a round-table discussion on the topic “Child and Environment”
November 14, 2016, Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MoE of the RoK) held a round table on the theme "Child and Environment" with the participation of deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Vice Minister of Energy of the RoK, Vice Minister of agriculture of the RoK, governmental agencies, international and non-governmental organizations. The round-table was held on the eve of the conference “Kazakhstan Child Friendly!” which will be organized by the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan jointly with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Kazakhstan, the European Union Delegation to Kazakhstan, and Ombudsman for Children in the Republic of Kazakhstan and with the participation of interested state bodies.
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The participants discussed issues on the implementation of the recommendations by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in three key areas:
1) Protection of the environment;
2) Influence of the Aral Sea and Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on children's health;
3) Contamination of soil and water by industrial waste, agricultural pollutants and chemicals and their effects on children's health.
At this meeting, CAREC offered recommendations for promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Kazakhstan:
- When developing or amending the regulatory legal acts in education take into account the principles of sustainable development (Education Act, educational standards, and regulations).
- Development of competence for sustainable development (SD) of teachers and other education professionals through the Center of Advanced Trainings (short courses, workshops, seminars) and the exchange of experience on SD (study-tours, capacity-building trainings) with foreign countries.
- Assist in raising awareness of students and employees of educational institutions with the principles of SD by means of online activities (class and parent meetings, teaching tips), as well as through mass media.
- In 2016-2017 academic year the curriculum of the updated content of primary school education includes sections in academic subjects, which reflect the principles of sustainable development, as well as introduced a new subject - natural science. It is necessary to integrate the key aspects of SD in the curriculum of the updated content of the basic school, as well as for pre-school, technical and professional, higher education through the maintenance of existing disciplines. In order to ensure market demand to date by specialists (engineers by industry of the national economy, weavers, artisans and others) by means of reflection of moral and spiritual values and national traditions in the educational programs of technical and professional education system.
CAREC work on ESD was well noted by the Parliament of the RoK. The organisation will assist in the promotion and integration of SD principles into educational programmes, strengthen the work with the Parliament and the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan through the ESD Programme and CAREC Country Office in Kazakhstan.
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As an outcome of the meeting the draft recommendations were adopted to be considered at the dialogue platform “Child and Environment” at the International Conference “Kazakhstan Child Friendly” dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the 70th anniversary of UNICEF, which will be held on November 21-22, 2016, in Astana.
Photos: Press service of Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan