Education and Early Childhood Development
November 18, 2014

The following statement was read today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:

International Conference Provides Rewarding Opportunity

Mr. Speaker, from November 9 to 12, I had the great privilege to lead the Canadian delegation at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where over 1,000 delegates from 140 countries participated.

Education for Sustainable Development provides resources so students have the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to shape a sustainable future. The theme of the conference, Learning Today for a Sustainable Future, was designed to celebrate the achievements in sustainable development education over the past decade and set the education agenda for the future.

Mr. Speaker, this was an incredible opportunity for me personally, as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, and for our government, to take part in such informative discussions. Education, specifically curriculum in the K to 12 system, plays a vital role in helping to achieve sustainable development and provides us with the tools to teach our young people, the future world leaders, about sustainability.

During the conference I had the opportunity to represent the provinces and territories at a ministerial roundtable that brought together over 70 ministers from around the world. The conference also gave me a rare opportunity to meet directly with the ministers from Finland and Switzerland where we discussed their student achievement success.

I also led a workshop discussion of approximately 100 people on education for sustainable development in the post-2015 era and how to develop education policies that address the social, environmental and economic opportunities of the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “There is no plan B and sustainable development is the only way to move forward”. Through teaching and learning methods that incorporate sustainable development, Mr. Speaker, students are motivated and empowered to change their behaviour and take action.

This information, along with the many productive and interesting discussions I had while at the conference, will be very helpful as our new Department of Education and Early Childhood Development continues to focus on the complete continuum of learning.

2014 11 18                                   1:45 p.m.