Africa Environmental Education and Training Action Plan 2015–2024: Strengthening Sustainable Development in Africa

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Africa Environmental Education
and Training Action Plan
2015–2024
Strengthening Sustainable Development in Africa
In response to the AMCEN Arusha Declaration, 2012

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Africa Environmental Education
and Training Action Plan
2015–2024
Strengthening Sustainable Development in Africa

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PROJECT TEAM
Mahesh Pradhan
Chief, Environmental Education and Training Unit, UNEP
Angele Luh
Head, Sub Regional Oce for West Africa, Regional Oce for Africa, UNEP
David Ombisi
Programme Ocer, Regional Oce for Africa, UNEP
Pablo Fuentenebro
Associate Programme Ocer, Environmental Education and Training Unit, UNEP
Pamela Mubuta
Programme Assistant, Environmental Education and Training Unit, UNEP
Brian Waswala Olewe
Environmental Education and Training Specialist, Environmental Education and Training Unit, UNEP
Mariam Osman
Environmental Education and Training Specialist, Environmental Education and Training Unit, UNEP
AUTHORS
Heila Lotz-Sisitka
Professor in Education, and Murray & Roberts Chair in Environmental Education, Rhodes University
Satishkumar Belliethathan
Assistant Professor, Centre for Environmental Sciences; and Programme Coordinator, Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network,
Addis Ababa University
Mahesh Pradhan
Chief, Environmental Education and Training, UNEP
Gregory Odeke
Environmental Education and Training Specialist, UNEP
Brian Waswala Olewe
Environmental Education and Training Specialist, UNEP
ADDITIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank dierent individuals and institutions who have contributed to the successful completion of this project – the Africa
Environmental Education and Training Action Plan 2015–2024 – which was developed by UNEP-Environmental Education and Training Unit and UNEP-
Regional Oce of Africa. In addition to the authors above, we would like to thank Kim Ward for assisting with the editing of the manuscript and Dudu
Coelho for the design of this publication.
The authors are grateful for the support of Environmental Education and Training Unit throughout the dierent stages of this project and review of the
nal draft. The authors also recognise the support of the African Ministers of Environment for having endorsed the Action Plan at the 15th Ordinary
Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEM) in March 2015 in Cairo, Egypt. Suggestions for textual edits have been
incorporated into this published version of the Action Plan.
The authors would like to acknowledge participants of the Regional Consultative Meetings where the draft Action Plan framework was introduced,
discussed, reviewed and critiqued as a “work in progress”. The regional consultative meetings were held in Addis Ababa (November 2012), Nairobi (May
2013), Morocco (June 2013), South Africa (June 2013 - SADC representatives’ consultation) and Addis Ababa (April 2014).
Preparation of the AEETAP was certainly an international stakeholder collaboration and consultation exercise with representation from the
Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in African Universities (MESA) partnership programme, the Horn of Africa Regional Environmental
Programme and the Southern African Development Community Regional Environmental Education Programme (amongst others), and also participants
attending the 7th World Environmental Education Congress in Morocco (2013).
Finally, we would like to point out that this Action Plan aims to be a “living document” that is updated on a regular basis, based on feedback from
African member states and relevant stakeholders. An electronic online portal, where stakeholders are able to incorporate and share their experiences in
the implementation and updating of AEETAP, will be created.
First published in January 2017 by the United Nations Environment Programme
Africa Environmental Education and Training Action Plan 2015-2024: Strengthening Sustainable Development in Africa
ISBN No: 978-92-807-3622-9
Job No: DEP/2068/NA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD 1
PREFACE 2
ACRONYMS 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
CHAPTER 1
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND 6
1.1 Introduction: The consultative process 7
1.2 The Arusha Declaration (2012) and AMCEN’s approach to environmental education and training 8
1.3 Environmental education and training in Africa 10
1.4 A systems perspective 12
CHAPTER 2
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA 16
2.1 AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes: Priorities for environmental education and training in
Africa17
2.2 Principles informing the Action Plan activities and programmes 21
2.3 Challenges facing environmental education and training in Africa 26
CHAPTER 3
THE ACTION PLAN 28
3.1 Strategic approach to the AEETAP 29
3.2 Vision, goals and outcomes 30
3.2.1 Vision 30
3.2.2 Goals 30
3.2.3 Expected outcomes 31
3.3 Key Result Area 1: Formal Education 33
3.3.1 Overview of Key Result Area 1 33
3.3.2 Key priorities and strategic actions for Key Result Area 1 34
3.3.3 Strategies for implementation 36
3.4 Key Result Area 2: Vocational Education and Training and Training of Government Ocials 38
3.4.1 Overview of Key Result Area 2 38
3.4.2 Key priorities and strategic actions for Key Result Area 2 39
3.4.3 Means of implementation and expanding on existing initiatives 41
3.5 Key Result Area 3: Lifelong Learning, Youth Development and Community Education 43
3.5.1 Overview of Key Result Area 343
3.5.2 Key priorities and strategic actions for Key Result Area 3 43
3.5.3 Means of implementation and expanding on existing initiatives 45
3.6 Key Result Area 4: Capacity Building, Networking and Social Learning 46
3.6.1 Key priorities and strategic actions for Key Result Area 4 46
3.6.2 Means of implementation and expanding on existing initiatives 48

CHAPTER 4
CROSSCUTTING ISSUES 50
4.1 Contextualisation 51
4.2 Integration and interdisciplinarity 52
4.3 Policy development 52
4.4 Curriculum and materials development 53
4.5 Transformative learning and assessment 53
4.6 Values and ethics 53
4.7 Learning and changes in practice 53
4.8 Use of information and communication technologies 54
4.9 Capacity building for environmental educators and trainers 54
4.10 Resources for environmental education and training 55
4.11 Concepts and conceptual development 55
4.12 Monitoring, evaluation and expanded learning practice 55
CHAPTER 5
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES 56
5.1 Proposed priority pilots within the key result areas 58
5.1.1 Teacher capacity building 58
5.1.2 Higher education, research and innovation (MESA) 58
5.1.3 Youth participation in sustainable development learning and action 58
5.1.4 Technology enhanced learning innovation 59
5.1.5 Leadership development 59
5.2 Implementation modalities 60
5.2.1 Inception meeting 60
5.2.2 Overview of recommendations for implementation of key result areas 61
CONCLUSION 63
ANNEX
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA GOALS AND ACTIVITIES 65

1
FOREWORD
A lack of clear and sustained environmental
awareness in many African countries has contributed
to environmental degradation within the continent.
To address this challenge, UN Environment, in
collaboration with other stakeholders, is promoting
capacity development for future professionals
through environmental education.
The Africa Environmental Education and Training
Action Plan (AEETAP) 2015–2024, as called for
by the African Ministerial Conference on the
Environment (AMCEN), is one of UN Environment’s
modes of facilitating and promoting environmental
awareness, education and training. The Action Plan
advocates for ecosystem resource management;
communication and dissemination of environmental
material in all forms of education; spatial planning
and urban design through green campus designs;
sustainable tourism and efcient transport; and water
and sanitation, among other green practices.
The Action Plan seeks to promote innovation based
on best sustainability practices through information
and communications technology (ICT). This includes
the development and implementation of Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on sustainable
development, as well as the promotion of positive
attitude and behaviour change, all geared towards
ensuring an environmentally resilient continent.
The Action Plan will support UN Environment’s
Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in
African Universities (MESA) Partnership Programme.
MESA seeks to mainstream environment and
sustainability concerns into teaching, research,
community engagement and management of
universities in Africa. The Action Plan will also
contribute to the achievement of AMCEN’s Regional
Flagship Programmes, including among others: Green
Economy Partnerships; African programmes on
sustainable energy development; and Partnerships for
sustainable consumption and production. As such,
the Action Plan will help ensure that the African
Union dream of “A prosperous Africa at peace with
itself and its partners” becomes a reality.
The practical application of the Action Plan
among member states will build learners’ capacity
to critically analyse, synthesise and use emerging
environmental information for decision making;
promote values and commitment to the environment,
based on an understanding of the role of the
environment in social justice and in people’s health,
quality of life, livelihoods and socio-economic
development; and advocate for action competence
based on their understanding of environmental issues
and on their associated values.
Above all, the Action Plan will complement national
and regional sustainability agendas; the achievement
of the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development
and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
the African Agenda 2063; and the UNESCO
Global Action Plan for Education for Sustainable
Development.
Mette Wilkie
Director
Ecosystems Division
United Nations Environment Programme
Julliette Biao Koudenoukpo
Director
Regional Ofce of Africa
United Nations Environment Programme

2
PREFACE
Environmental integrity in Africa and the world
continues to grapple with a myriad of threats,
consequences of increased anthropogenic activities.
These issues include desertication, reduced quality
and quantity of fresh water, biodiversity loss, climate
change, degradation of arable soils, food insecurity
and increased pollution. Together, these challenges
impact sustainable development, human health and
ecosystem resilience.
The African Ministerial Conference on the
Environment (AMCEN) has, over the years,
recognised environmental education as an effective
means for confronting environmental challenges
and identifying future opportunities. Environmental
education is critical for creating awareness, enhancing
values, changing people’s attitudes and improving
skills consistent with sustainable development.
To address environmental challenges facing Africa,
AMCEN agreed to strengthen environmental
education and training and develop an action plan
for Africa. The Africa Environmental Education and
Training Action Plan (AEETAP) 2015–2024 has been
prepared as a direct response to the 2012 AMCEN
Arusha Declaration on Africa’s post Rio+20 strategy
for sustainable development.
The core objective of the Action Plan is to enhance
community environmental education and training
within Africa, through various forms of education:
training, life-long learning, capacity building
programmes and projects. It calls for reorientation
of the education system; policy development;
curriculum and programme innovation and design;
transformative learning approaches that support
action and change; transformative assessment
practices; development of materials to support
new approaches to environmental learning and
action competence; and technology enhanced
learning to foster wider access and participation in
environmental education and training.
I take this opportunity to commend all those who
have been involved in preparation of this Action
Plan, especially UN Environment’s Environmental
Educational and Training Unit (EETU) for
coordinating and driving this initiative. I hope this
Action Plan will encourage and support action and
participation by all stakeholders at all levels in Africa,
to promote an environmental conscious African
citizenry and contribute to the achievement of a
sustainable, clean, peaceful and healthy Africa.
H.E. Dr. Khaled Fahmy
Minister of Environment, Egypt,
and President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment

3
ACRONYMS
ABET Adult Basic Education and Training
AEETAP Africa Environmental Education and Training Action Plan
AfDB African Development Bank
AGEP Africa Green Economy Partnerships
AU African Union
AUC African Union Commission
ECA Economic Commission for Africa
ECD Early Childhood Development
ECDA Early Childhood Development Agency
EE Environmental Education
EE&T Environmental Education and Training
EEASA Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa
EETU Environmental Education and Training Unit
ESD Education for Sustainable Development
GUPES Global Universities Partnership on Environment for Sustainability
ICT Information and Communications Technology
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
LDBE Land Management, Desertication, Biodiversity and Ecosystems-based Adaptation to Climate Change
MDG Millennium Development Goal
MESA Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in African Universities
MOOC Massive Open Online Course
NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development
PIDA Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa
QA Quality Assurance
REEP Regional Environmental Education Programme
SADC Southern African Development Community
SCP Sustainable Consumption and Production
SDG Sustainable Development Goals
SE4ALL Sustainable Energy for All
TVET Technical Vocational Education and Training
UNDESD United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organisation
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

4AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY

5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Africa Environmental Education and Training
Action Plan (AEETAP) was initiated by the UNEP
AMCEN Secretariat in partnership with the UNEP
Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU)
following the 2012 Arusha Declaration 18, which
states:
To agree to strengthen environmental education
and training and develop an action plan
for Africa, covering formal and non-formal
education, capacity-building and information
networking components, among others, and
to explicitly include a focus on technology-
enhanced learning in this action plan.
The main objective of the AEETAP is to enhance
community environmental education and training
within the continent, through various formal
education, training, lifelong learning and capacity
building programmes and projects, encouraging
participation of both males and females equally.
These programmes and projects are envisaged to
fundamentally improve the environmental, societal
and economic state of Africa for the benet of
Africa’s people, and are closely aligned to the ve
AMCEN agship programmes.
The goals of the AEETAP are to:
u Strengthen the capacity of formal education
institutions and actors to integrate AMCEN
priority areas, and associated environment and
sustainable development concepts, values and
action learning approaches into their policies,
practices and outcomes;
u Strengthen training activities and programmes
to include and respond creatively and
critically to AMCEN priority areas, and wider
environmental issues, risks, green economy
opportunities in ways that maximise potential
for sustainable development and poverty
alleviation;
u Strengthen the capacity of policy makers,
leaders and decision makers to meaningfully
integrate environment and sustainable
development concerns into their planning,
strategies, policy making and budgeting
frameworks through carefully planned capacity
building programmes;
u Strengthen lifelong learning systems and
community education and training systems
and programmes to integrate AMCEN priority
concerns, and to expand the relevance and use
of indigenous knowledge in environmental
education and training;
u Strengthen the capacity of environmental
education, training and social learning
networks and institutions to support and
further develop an expanding system of
environmental education and training on the
African continent;
u Integrate innovations in e-learning, curriculum,
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs),
transformative learning, assessment and
materials development into environmental
education and training programmes on the
African continent;
u Enhance the professional capacity of trainers,
lecturers, social learning facilitators and
environmental educators to use innovation
centred approaches to EE&T in their policies,
programmes and outcomes, including
technology enhanced approaches to learning
where relevant;
u Contribute to environmental actions
and change through support for critical,
participatory and action-centred approaches
to environmental education and training in
all sectors of formal, non-formal and lifelong
learning; and
u Monitor and evaluate environmental education
and training programmes for ongoing reexive
improvement and change and expanded,
relevant outcomes on the African continent.
The Action Plan was developed through a
participatory consultative process with the
Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in
African Universities (MESA) partnership, the Horn of
Africa Regional Environmental Programme and the
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Regional Environmental Education Programme
(amongst others), and also involved participants
attending the World Environmental Education
Congress in Morocco. Over six consultative review
and AMCEN secretariat meetings were conducted
across the continent during the drafting stages.

6AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 1
ORIENTATION AND
BACKGROUND

7
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction: The consultative process
This Africa Environmental Education and Training
Plan (AEETAP) was initiated by the UNEP African
Ministerial Conference of the Environment
(AMCEN) secretariat in partnership with the UNEP
Education and Training Unit (EETU) following
the 2012 Arusha Declaration which called for the
formulation of an African Environmental Education
and Training Action Plan. The AEETAP seeks to
enhance community environmental education and
training within the continent, through various
formal education, training, lifelong learning and
capacity building programmes and projects. These
are envisaged to fundamentally improve the
environmental, societal and economic state of Africa
for the benet of Africa’s people, and are closely
aligned to the AMCEN agship programmes. The
Action Plan was developed in consultation with,
among others, the Mainstreaming Environment
and Sustainability in African Universities (MESA)
partnership programme, the Horn of Africa Regional
Environmental Programme and the Southern African
Development Community Regional Environmental
Education Programme and also involved participants
attending the World Environmental Education
Congress in Morocco. It has been developed through
a participatory process involving a number of
consultations, including: a consultation in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia in November 2012; a consultation
in Nairobi, Kenya in May 2013; a consultation in
Marrakech, Morocco in June 2013; a consultation
with SADC representatives in South Africa in June
2013; consultations in Addis Ababa in May 2014;
and further consultations in Grahamstown, South
Africa, in November 2014; as well as consultations
with the AMCEN secretariat at UNEP.
The proposed key result areas, with programmes
and projects in this Action Plan are those which are
considered by the Environmental Education and
Training Community in Africa to fundamentally
improve sustainable development in Africa. They are
carefully designed to address the AMCEN priorities
for environment and sustainable development via
environmental education and training activities and
as such will also contribute to the achievement of the
UN Sustainable Development Goals, the post-2015
development agenda, and the NEPAD Environmental
Action Plan.
The priorities and strategies presented in this Action
Plan are considered to be ‘catalytic’ in the sense that
they will deliver compelling, tangible results that
can be measured, and that can be achieved in the
medium to long term. Additionally, they are seen to
be catalytic, as they are likely to seed ongoing system
innovation for environmental education and training.
Brian Waswala / UNEP

8AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
1.2 The Arusha Declaration (2012) and AMCEN’s
approach to environmental education and
training
The Arusha Declaration on Africa’s post Rio+20
Strategy for Sustainable Development, signed in
September 2012 by Africa’s Environmental Ministers
at the fourteenth session of the African Ministerial
Conference of the Environment (AMCEN), recognises
the ongoing United Nations Decade of Education
for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) 2005-
2014 and the Tbilisi communiqué – Educate Today
for a Sustainable Future – adopted by the Tbilisi
Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental
Education for Sustainable Development (Tbilisi +35),
held on 6 and 7 September 2012. It furthermore
resolved, under clause 17:
To agree to strengthen environmental
education and training and develop an action
plan for Africa, covering formal and non-
formal education, capacity building and
information networking components, among
others, and to explicitly include a focus on
technology enhanced learning in this action
plan.
This AEETAP therefore directly responds to this
resolution in AMCEN’s 2012 Arusha Declaration.
The Plan seeks to directly build capacity for
responding to environmental issues, risks and
associated sustainable development challenges in
Africa, as outlined in the African Environmental
Outlook Reports. It articulates the resolutions of
the Arusha Declaration on Africa’s Post Rio+20
Strategy for Sustainable Development and other
recent environmental, educational and sustainable
development declarations and policy documents,
taking into account current developments at the
international level. It also explicitly strengthens
the role of environmental education and training
in achieving the wider objectives of Education for
Sustainable Development, and the objectives of the
UN Global Action Plan on Education for Sustainable
Development, proposed for the post-2015 period.
This AEETAP, mandated by the Arusha Declaration
(2012) and building on earlier commitments of the
AMCEN to environmental education and training
processes as well as the principles, practices and
outcomes of the United Nations Decade of Education
for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), provides
a common strategic direction for Environmental
Education and Training in Africa so as to facilitate
transformative change towards sustainable
development through education and training. It
outlines immediate actions for strengthening and
expanding environmental education and training in
Africa, in countries, but also across countries within
a ten-year framework of action. The AEETAP is also
in line with the UNDESD Global Action Programme
(GAP) that seeks “to generate and scale up action
in all levels and areas of education and learning in
order to accelerate progress towards sustainable
development”, through two objectives:
a) to reorient education and learning so that
everyone has the opportunity to acquire the
knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that
empower them to contribute to sustainable
development; and
b) to strengthen education and learning in all
agendas, programmes and activities that
promote sustainable development.
GAP focuses on ve priority action areas in order to
enable strategic focus and stakeholder commitment.
The following priority action areas are considered as
key leverage points to advance the ESD agenda:
1) policy support;
2) whole-institution approaches;
3) educators;
4) youth; and
5) local communities.

BOX 1.1
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
IN THE CONTEXT OF AMCEN
AMCEN recognises education as an eective means for
confronting environmental challenges and identifying
future opportunities. In this regard, AMCEN views
environmental education and training as indispensable
to changing people’s attitudes towards assessing
and addressing their development concerns. Further,
environmental education and training is viewed
as critical for attaining environmental and ethical
awareness, values and attitudes, skills and behaviour
consistent with sustainable development.
Over the years, AMCEN has taken a number of
decisions related to environmental education:
At its rst session in 1985, AMCEN adopted a
programme of action on environmental education
and training in Africa. It declared the rm resolve of
governments of Africa to implement the Programme of
Action by:
a) Developing and integrating environmental
education and training at all levels of society in
Africa through formal and informal means; and
b) Orienting the Programme of Action towards
solution of specic urgent environmental
problems.
At its second session in 1987 and subsequent
meetings, AMCEN re-emphasised the need for
governments to take rm measures to implement a
Programme of Action on Environmental Education and
Training.
At its fth session AMCEN decided to review national
reports on capacity-building (environmental training).
At its sixth session, AMCEN decided to focus attention
on capacity building, environmental education and
public awareness.
At its twelfth session, the strategy included a decision
to support and introduce environmental education and
technology-supported learning.
At its thirteenth session, AMCEN again supported a
decision on environmental education and technology-
supported learning
At its most recent, fourteenth session, governments
agreed to strengthen environmental education
and training through the development of an Africa
Environmental Education and Training Action Plan.
9
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND
ELRC / Rhodes University

10 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
1.3 Environmental education and training in
Africa
Environmental education and training (EE&T)
is critical for the acquisition and application of
knowledge, skills, values and action competences for
participation as active and informed citizens in the
development of an ecologically sustainable, socially
just, economically viable and sustainable society.
Environmental education and training is also critical
for poverty reduction and for ensuring human well-
being and sustainable livelihoods development on the
African continent.
Environmental education and training fosters
self-understanding on ecosystem functions and
services, improves quality of lives and raises people’s
productivity. This results in environmentally
sound entrepreneurship, behavioural changes and
technological advances. EE&T also secures economic
and social progress by improving income distribution
and survival skills which may consequently aid in
combating poverty.
Environmentally literate citizens with the competence
to bring about change towards sustainable
development do not simply materialise from nowhere.
People need to learn to understand environmental
issues and risks, and their causes. They also need to
develop the values and action competences necessary
to respond to and develop alternative solutions and
change practices to ensure ecological sustainability,
human well-being and sustainable development.
Environmental education and training is therefore
an indispensable process within the overall goal of
Education for Sustainable Development.
Environmental changes impact upon men and women
differently and usually have a disproportionate
impact on women. Women are more likely to benet
most directly from environmental conservation,
protection and improvement; benets are often
passed more completely by women to their
communities than those experienced by men.
A. Fleuret / USAID

11
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND
Over the years, the eld of environmental education
and training has changed from a narrow and
somewhat limited focus on awareness raising and
behaviour change, to a stronger and broader focus on
strengthening individual and collective participation
in socio-ecological change processes necessary for
sustainable development, resilience, adaptation
and transformation. This requires the development
of systems thinking, critical and creative thinking,
relationship building, capacities to act and wider
forms of social learning. It involves formal acquisition
of knowledge, development of action competence,
values, and participation in social learning and
environmental actions and change processes. It
involves all sectors of society, both men and women,
at all levels of the education and training system, and
includes wider forms of capacity building, networking
and social learning that occur outside of formal
education systems.
Evidence abounds, however, of the importance of
investing in environmental education and training
– this is often a neglected area in environmental
thinking, policy and decision making and in
educational thinking, policy and decision making
alike. This is also a problem particularly evident
on the African continent. It is widely known that
environmental education and training often ‘falls
between the cracks’ i.e. it is under-valued by both the
environmental sector and the education sector.
The continent does, however, have many good
practices to draw on, such as the work of the SADC
Regional Environmental Education Programme, the
Eco-Schools initiatives in Africa, the Mainstreaming
Environment and Sustainability in African
Universities (MESA) programme initiated by UNEP
as a UNDESD Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development agship programme, and the associated
Green University Networks that are currently being
established (Kenya, Uganda, Morocco and West
Africa). Participation in these and other initiatives
can still expand substantively, and in principle the
AEETAP must build on existing strengths if progress
is to be made.
Collective participation is crucial to ensure collective
solutions are found for both men and women.
When launching environmental literacy initiatives,
services must be made available to both males
and females equally. Females have historically
had limited access to basic education and training,
hence special attention should support bridging the
knowledge gap. Women still often lag behind when
it comes to gender parity at institutions of learning.
A gender analysis should be used to indicate men
and women’s involvement, with the target being
equal representation in teaching, training and
outreach activities, at the national, organisational
and leadership levels, and for the recipients of the
education.
The AEETAP will seek to strengthen individual and
collective participation in socio-ecological change
processes needed to respond to critical environmental
and sustainable development concerns in Africa.
It will do this through emphasising acquisition,
evaluation, use and application of environmental
knowledge, values, skills and action competence in
a variety of education and training settings for both
men and women, including formal, non-formal, and
informal social learning and technology-enhanced
learning contexts.
Capacity building, networking, participation, social
learning and the use of modern technologies such as
information communication technologies (ICTs) have
been identied as crucial components of effective
environmental education and training for sustainable
development.
ELRC / Rhodes University

12 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
1.4 A systems perspective
The AMCEN broad approach to environmental
education and training adopts a systems perspective
in that it aims to:
u Develop and integrate environmental
education and training at all levels of society in
Africa through formal and informal means;
u Orient the AMCEN Programme of Action
towards solution-specic urgent environmental
problems; and
u Use technology-supported and technology-
enhanced learning to strengthen environmental
education and training.
Firstly, the AEETAP recognises social-ecological
systems as the basis for environmental education
in that environmental issues are not separate from
social contexts, systems and processes (see Figure 1.1
below). Noting that human action is substantively
changing the Earth systems, scientists are suggesting
that these changes have far-reaching and dangerous
consequences, threatening the well-being of people,
living things and the stability of our planet.
There is therefore a strong urgency for human beings
everywhere to work together to ensure effective
planetary stewardship. This means adopting holistic
and integrated forms of environmental education and
training by all sectors of society towards sustainable
development. Failure to do this risks driving the
Earth systems onto a trajectory from which we will
not easily be able to return.
Figure 1.1 A schematic diagram of a socio-ecological system (Source: www.snre.u.edu)
Social
Processes
Demography
Livelihood activities
Materials and energy use
Health-seeking, well-being
Communicating, educating
Science, technology, innovation
Designing, engineering, building
Economic development, trade
Soci-political organisation
Policies, laws, contracts
Culture, beliefs, values
Visioning, missions
Crises, governance
Power struggles
Human
Components
Individuals
Households
Communities
Institutions
Enterprises
Corporations
Villages, cities
Governments
NGOs
Supranational bodies
Ecological
Components
Individuals
Populations
Communities
Soil
Water
Atmosphere
Ecosystems
Landscapes
Watersheds
Ecological
Processes
Productivity
Consumption
Decomposition
Energy ow
Nutrient cycling
Disturbances and resilience
Reproduction and mortality
Species interactions
Pollination and seed dispersal
Animal movement
Deposition and erosion
Evolution
Climate change
Integration
Land/water/resource use
Inputs, investments
Resource depletion
Resource renewal
Planning
Regulation
Production
Consumption
Contamination
Recycling, disposal
Socio-ecological understanding
Management practices
Experimentation
Adaptation
Mitigation
P
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13
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND
In an African setting, it is also important to
interpret the socio-ecological system from a cultural
perspective, and to recognise that there are important
cultural connections between people and their
environments and the natural resources base on
which many communities depend directly. Much
indigenous knowledge derives from the intimate
relationships that exist between people and the
environment, and this represents a valuable resource
for environmental education and training on the
African continent.
Secondly, the AEETAP supports a systems view
of knowledge which includes different forms of
knowledge in learning, such as tacit knowledge,
indigenous knowledge and scientic knowledge. It also
recognises that many new forms of knowledge and
learning can be made available through technology
enhanced learning. Use of technology enhanced
learning is yet to be fully developed in and for
environmental education and training in Africa.
In terms of access and control of resources in Africa,
usually men own the land and women are the users;
hence any environmental educational interventions
must take into consideration the status quo and
additionally consider the impact of education on
gender relations and social standing. It is important
to take into consideration constraints that might arise
with the introduction of environmental education
and training targeting both genders.
Figure 1.2 Capacity building
CAPACITY BUILDING
leading to
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
TRAINING:
formal training and
workplace-based
learning
EDUCATION:
formal schooling, HEIs
PUBLIC AWARENESS AND
DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES:
media, culture, faith groups, community-based
education, social interactions, experiential
Brian Waswala / UNEP

14 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
EE&T for sustainable development in a context of lifelong learning
on the AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes
(AMCEN RFP), into all education and training
systems as outlined briey in Box 1.2.
To cover the entire education, training and social
learning contexts, the AEETAP addresses these three
dimensions and encourages governments to integrate
environmental education and training, focussing
Lysippos / Wikimedia

BOX 1.2
AMCEN REGIONAL FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
The AMCEN RFPs aim at developing partnerships for
capacity building and technology transfer to support
poverty reduction and sustainable livelihood in Africa
through Environmental Education and Training actions
that strengthen:
u Green Economy Partnerships;
u African programmes on sustainable energy
development;
u Partnerships for sustainable consumption
and production, as well as integrated waste
management;
u Integrated environmental assessment for
sustainable development; and
u Sustainable land management.
There are four key results areas through which the RFP
can be implemented through environmental education
and training (EE&T).
EE&T Key Result Areas
Education and training will contribute to capacity
building and awareness creation along the lines of the
RFPs, focusing on:
u Education system policy development;
u Curriculum and programme innovation and
design;
u Transformative learning approaches that support
action and change;
u Transformative assessment practices;
u Materials development to support new
approaches to learning and action competence;
and
u Technology enhanced learning to foster wider
access and participation in environmental
education and training.
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA 1
Formal Education
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA 2
Training
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA 3
Lifelong learning
and community
education
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA 4
Capacity building,
networking and
social learning
Including:
u Early childhood
education
u Basic education
u Further education and
training
u Teacher education
u Higher education
u Equally targeting girls
and boys
Including:
u Technical vocational
education and training –
TVET
u Workplace learning
u Green economy
conversion training and
demonstration centres
u Training of key
stakeholders
u Equally targeting both
men and women
Including:
u Adult learning
u Youth empowerment
u NGO/CBO/FBO
programmes
u Indigenous knowledge
u Equally targeting both
men and women
Including:
u Media and social learning
approaches
u Building and
strengthening networks
and communities of
practice
u Mentorship
u Training of trainers and
EE&T specialists
u Equally targeting both
men and women
u Opportunities to work
with government
ministries whilst
integrating a gender
element is important
e.g. Ministry for Gender/
Social Aairs
u Collaborations with
women leaders to foster
environmental literacy
initiatives
15
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND

16 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 2
PRIORITIES FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION AND
TRAINING IN
AFRICA

17
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
2.1 AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes:
Priorities for environmental education
and training in Africa
Environmental education and training in Africa
can be as wide as all environmental and sustainable
development issues and risks in all contexts, in
all countries, and can involve all education and
training systems (formal, non-formal and informal
institutions). To reach all of these at once is simply
not possible given resource and other constraints. An
AEETAP must, therefore, seek to identify priorities
for environmental education and training.
The AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes provide
a core focus for environmental education and
training programmes on the African continent. The
ve AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes are:
Cluster Regional Flagship Programmes Facilitating agency Contributing agencies
1African Green Economy Partnership UNEP, AfDB, ECA UNDP, AU/NEPAD, UNIDO
2Land Degradation, Desertication, Biodiversity and
Ecosystems-based Adaptation AUC/NEPAD UNEP, ECA, AfDB, UNDP
3
Partnership for Sustainable Consumption
and Production (including integrated waste
management)
UNEP ECA, AUC/NEPAD, AfDB
4Africa Sustainable Energy Development Programme UNDP & AfDB AUC/NEPAD, UNIDO, UNEP, ECA
5Africa Integrated Environmental Assessment for
Sustainable Development UNEP, AfDB AUC/NEPAD, ECA, UNDP
Table 2.1 AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes
Salahaldeen Nadir / World Bank

18 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
2.1.1 African Green Economy
Partnership (AGEP)
The main objective of the AGEP is to facilitate
the provision of coordinated and consolidated
capacity building and technology support to African
countries to implement Rio+20 outcomes in a Green
Economy that contributes to poverty reduction
and sustainable development. Important to the
AEETAP is the intention to enhance understanding
and appreciation of the implications of inclusive
green economy approaches for Africa’s development
and to develop the capacity and skills necessary to
develop and implement policies and action plans that
facilitate the effective integration and mainstreaming
of Green Economy and green growth principles and
approaches. Capacity also needs to be developed
for the assessment of natural capital at national and
local levels, and for practical implementation of
Green Economy at the sub-national level. Educators
and trainers also need to be supported to make use
of models, approaches, principles and best practices
and the sharing of knowledge of Green Economy
approaches in their education and training work,
especially in Higher Education and TVET education
streams. One of the key actions in the AGEP is the
need to “support programmes on training, skills
building, and youth entrepreneurship to enable
African countries to take advantage of emerging areas
of the green economy”. The AGEP also proposes
the need to support a knowledge platform that can
be used by environmental educators and trainers to
support the Green Economy. Consideration should
be given to inclusion of strategies that strengthen
gender integration and gender equality at all levels of
environmental training and education.
2.1.2 Land Degradation,
Desertication, Biodiversity
and Ecosystems-based
Adaptation to Climate
Change (LDBE)
The main objective of this agship programme is
to provide a framework for coordination across
countries and stakeholders at all levels to adapt
to climate change, combat land degradation and
desertication as well as to conserve biodiversity,
John Hogg / World Bank

19
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
water resources, and promote the integrity and
resilience of ecosystems. One of the key actions in
this programme focuses on “analysis and outreach
activities in the context of knowledge generation
and sharing” in order to support innovation, the
sharing of lessons learned, and the scaling up of
ecologically based actions. In line with the intentions
of this programme will be the need to develop
environmental education and training programmes
that improve alternative livelihood opportunities,
natural resources management, the restoration of
eco-climatic balances, and biodiversity and ecosystem
integrity. Additionally, environmental education
and training programmes would focus on improved
ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation
in ways that can also potentially enhance income
generation and job creation for local people.
Approaches should both contribute to rehabilitation
(and thus prevent future land degradation)
and to improvement of land productivity and
ecosystem services, leading, ultimately, to improved
living standards and health of people and their
environments. This educational focus should be
introduced into all sub-sectors of the education and
training system, including citizenship education
and non-formal and social learning in communities.
Outreach activities will target both men and women
equally. Women, in particular, are adversely affected
by land degradation and climate change as they are
directly involved with tilling the land to feed their
families and yet they are usually left out of outreach
activities, are not given the opportunity to share their
lessons learnt, and are often left out of the decision-
making processes.
2.1.3 Partnership for
Sustainable Consumption
and Production (SCP) in
Africa
The main objective of the Partnership for SCP in
Africa is to provide support for the development,
mainstreaming, implementation and up-scaling of
SCP programmes and projects in the region that
would effectively contribute to poverty reduction
and sustainable development of the region. Capacity
development is needed for strengthening and
expanding existing SCP initiatives, and environmental
education and training focussing on SCP will be
needed in programmes that provide direct support
to Small and Medium Enterprises and community
groups that create employment (including green and
decent jobs) based on innovative SCP practices.1
The Partnership for SCP in Africa also highlights the
important role to be played by teachers, academic
institutions, and other training institutions such as
TVET and community education programmes in
expanding knowledge and practices for SCP. The
partnership further highlights the need for capacity
building, training and awareness raising on SCP
programmes. SCP programmes and projects in the
region will ensure gender equality in the activities and
focus on partnerships with women organisations or
women groups. Research indicates that women are
most likely to reap direct benets from environmental
conservation, protection and improvement; and
there is clear evidence that such benets are more
completely passed on to their communities than
those experienced by men. Positive environmental
outcomes ensure sustainability for all.
2.1.4 Africa Sustainable Energy
Development Programme
The main objective of this programme is to facilitate
the provision of coordinated and consolidated support
to African countries to develop their energy sector
to achieve a sustainable energy mix. This is done in
1 The 10 Year Framework on SCP is developing a specic
SCP Education and Training programme that is aligned to
Education for Sustainable Development.
ELRC / Rhodes University

20 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
collaboration with the AU-NEPAD Programme on
Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), other
investment programmes related to infrastructural
development and decentralised solutions, and the UN
Secretary General Initiative on Sustainable Energy
for All (SE4ALL), with an objective of contributing
to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Capacity building and training will be required
for the development of new energy options and
technologies, and higher education institutions and
TVET programmes have a key role to play in this.
Wider knowledge of renewable energy options
needs to be shared into businesses, communities and
amongst citizens, especially in relation to new forms
of energy for household and commercial use. The
drive for sustainable energy also requires education
and training related to energy efciency, and green
technology skills development. The AEETAP
can help to develop a common understanding of
sustainable energy on the African continent through
knowledge sharing, and development of the skills and
competences needed for participating in a sustainable
energy future. Highlighting gender equality in the
capacity building and training initiatives is crucial.
The introduction of renewable energy options,
especially for use in households, should target women,
who are usually responsible for the use of natural
resources for domestic purposes. Ensuring that
women acquire energy efciency and green technology
skills, will go a long way in improving not only their
households, but also the wider community.
2.1.5 Africa Integrated
Environmental Assessment
for Sustainable Development
The objective of this programme is to introduce and
foster the use of integrated environmental assessment
in Africa in order to instigate appropriate and timely
consideration of current and future environmental
challenges by decision makers, as well as other
partners for sustainable development. Additionally,
there is an objective to strengthen the capacity of
African countries and institutions to collect and
access environmental data, as well as information
and knowledge to support the management of
Africa’s natural resources and the environment as
a basis for improved livelihoods. This programme
aims to improve the quality of environmental
assessment products and processes. This requires
increased capacity to use such products and processes
which in turn will require education and training.
The AEETAP will contribute to the development of
such capacity, and will help to strengthen increased
awareness and knowledge of the impacts of human
interactions with the environment in Africa. Women
are not usually involved in fact nding activities
and neither are they involved in the decision-
making processes. Women and men are impacted
differently by environmental changes due to the
nature of their roles within society, as well as their
levels of education, with many women lacking access
to basic education. Considering gender equality
and involvement of women in usage of integrated
environmental assessment is crucial. Women and
men should equally be considered for education and
training initiatives. The AEETAP can also help to
disseminate and make use of information products
on environmental impact in education and training
programmes, and to facilitate knowledge acquisition
of environmental impact amongst policy makers, civil
society, the public, academic, the media and other
stakeholders. The AEETAP can further facilitate the
development of the relevant scientic expertise that
will be needed to support integrated environmental
assessment activities in the region.
Dana Smillie / World Bank

Arne Hoel / World Bank
21
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
2.2 Principles informing the Action Plan
activities and programmes
The key result areas and the associated environmental
education and training programmes proposed in the
AAETAP will be guided by the following principles
inuencing their conceptualisation/operation:
1. Explicitly incorporate action-oriented learning
for the following content and changed practice
areas from the AMCEN Regional Flagship
Programmes into Environmental Education and
Training Programmes in key EE&T result areas.
The following should be a key focus of content
and approaches to EE&T, and these should be
developed to strengthen the objectives of the
AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes:
u Africa Green Economy Partnerships
(AGEP);
u Sustainable Land Management,
Desertication, Biodiversity and
Ecosystems-based Adaptation to Climate
Change (LDBE);
u African programme on Sustainable Energy
Development;
u Partnership for Sustainable Consumption
and Production (SCP) in Africa; and
u Africa Integrated Environmental
Assessment for Sustainable Development
u Gender equality
2. Address critical environmental, sustainability
and education and human capacity development
issues and challenges as identied in recent
sustainable development reports and documents
such as a) the Arusha Declaration (2012); b) the
Rio+20 Outcome document – The Future We
Want (which is committed to actively promoting
collection, analysis and use of gender sensitive
indicators and sex-disaggregated data in policy,
programme design and monitoring frameworks);
c) the Global Environment Outlook Report 5

22 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
(GEO5); d) the African Environment Outlook
Report 2 (AEO2); e) the UN Foresight Report;
f)the Tbilisi+35 Declaration; g) the African Union
Agenda for Africa; h) UNEP’s priorities; i) the UN
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
Monitoring and Evaluation Reports and post-
2015 development agenda and the Global Action
Plan on ESD (amongst others), some of which are
listed in brief below:
u Promote stronger integration of
environmental, societal and economic
aspects of sustainable and climate
compatible development in all activities,
plans, programmes and initiatives. These
aspects should not be seen as separate areas
but rather a deeper understanding of their
interrelated nature is needed at all levels of
society and in all sectors.
u Strengthen capacity of politicians,
decision makers, leaders (including
women and youth leaders) and
parliamentarians to participate in
regional sustainable development action
planning, global negotiations, and to
integrate environmental and sustainable
development concerns and priorities into
MEA programmes, national policies,
strategies, action plans and budgeting
frameworks.
u Integrate the knowledge and ndings of the
African Environmental Outlook Reports
(and other relevant environmental system
documents such as the IPCC reports,
GEO 5 reports etc.) into all education
and training programme contents, policies
and strategies. In particular, take careful
account of the relationship that exists
between environment, poverty reduction
and sustainable development, taking
into consideration gender, on the African
continent.
u Recognise that the UN Foresight Report
identies human capacity, and human
capacity to act in more sustainable ways, as
two of the most critical factors inuencing
human progress towards a more
sustainable future. Knowledge on its own
is not enough and must be accompanied
Arne Hoel / World Bank

23
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
by action competence and social learning
systems that involve individual and
collective system and practice changes,
involving both men and women.
u Develop capacity for initiating and
implementing an African Green Economy
that acts as a strong vehicle for poverty
reduction, the creation of decent jobs
equally for both men and women, and
sustainable development of society more
broadly. Agriculture, as the backbone of
the African economy, and as the source of
livelihood for many, must receive particular
attention in efforts to establish sustainable
agricultural production systems in the face
of climate changes, and loss of natural
resources and ecosystem services.
u Recognise the importance of preparing
African society for the growing risks
associated with runaway climate change
and associated catastrophic impacts, as
projected for Africa. These impact men
and women differently and this needs to be
taken into account. Associated with this is
the need for human capacity development
for fast tracking new forms of social
innovation, developing stronger climate
science modelling and planning capacity,
and development of transdisciplinary
knowledge and capacity to engage
African societies in a climate compatible
development trajectory, based on, but
extending existing sustainable development,
mitigation and adaptation thinking and
practice. As emphasised by AMCEN’s
Regional Flagship Programmes, this also
involves ecosystem-based adaptation
measures.
u Strengthen knowledge of, and
understanding that Africa’s biodiversity
is foundational to all life, economic
activity and societal well-being. Develop
deeper and stronger understandings of the
relationships between biodiversity and
ecosystem services, and the implications
of biodiversity loss for present and future
well-being of African societies. Strengthen
capacity to participate in biodiversity
management and sustainable use of natural
resources and ecosystem services in all
sectors of society.
u Strengthen the quality and relevance of
Africa’s education and training systems
to make them 21st century ‘ready’ and
available to both men and women equally.
u Strengthen participatory, stewardship
and action learning approaches that at
the same time deepen knowledge and
understanding, build action competence
and develop values, and that engage the
dialectic between tradition and innovation.
Such learning approaches, when focussed
on both individual and collective learning
processes, can also expand social learning,
social change and changes in practice.
u Strengthen educational leadership and
the capacity of educators, lecturers in
universities, teacher trainers, vocational
trainers, media practitioners and social
learning facilitators to understand
the importance of environment and
sustainability education content,
principles and approaches, and through
this, signicantly expand and extend
environmental education and training
capacity, giving attention to the institutional
contexts of their practice and the learning
resources needed for their work (e.g. ICT
facilities).
ELRC / Rhodes University

24 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
3. Adopt approaches to Environmental Education
and Training that strengthen ‘agents of change’
(both women and men), stewardship, and
practice-based approaches to socio-ecological
systems change and poverty reduction: This
would require action learning approaches
that contribute to the direct addressing of
environmental issues and risks in ways that also
address poverty reduction in Africa, and in ways
that contribute to changes and new practices on
the ground. Learning should be ‘change oriented’,
and outcomes should be practical and have
meaning in the lives of the majority of citizens
who are struggling with poverty related issues on
the ground. They should contribute to Africa’s
sustainable development.
4. Be characterised by the highest level support
and commitment: The key result areas in the
AAETAP and associated programmes and
projects should obtain and be constituted
with explicit commitment of a constellation of
major concerned stakeholders who have the
access, inuence, commitment and resources to
catalyse resources for the key result areas and
programmes, and who can facilitate and support
the implementation of changed practices in
education and training institutions and settings,
and also in socio-ecological institutions and
settings. These should include the following
among others: national governments, the African
Union, UNEP, UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, the
donor community, Higher Education associations
and institutions, Environmental Education and
Training organisations and networks, women’s
networks (including the involvement of the gender
ministry or specic groups that involve women at
the community level) and civil society.
Arne Hoel / World Bank
Adama Diop / Wikimedia

25
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
Figure 2.1 The ‘strong’ model of sustainability recognises that social and economic systems are
directly related and often emerge out of ecological systems. The AEETAP adopts this understanding
of the relationship between environment, society and economy. (Source: Hahn, 2013)
T
H
E
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5. Implementable within a reasonable period of
time: The AEETAP programmes and projects
should be specic and achievable enough to
accomplish key, measurable results within three
to ve years, i.e. they should have specic and
realistic targets.
6. Be catalytic and support and expand capacity
for change oriented learning and environmental
education and training system development at
multiple levels: The AEETAP key result areas
and programmes should be catalytic, and should
support and seed ongoing change oriented
learning and environmental education and
training system development at multiple levels.
At the grassroots level, this would include men,
women and youth. They should be set up to have
a life that extends beyond the ten-year period of
this Action Plan.
7. Be conceptualised within the wider ambit of
Education for Sustainable Development, as
established by the UN Decade on Education
for Sustainable Development: While focussing
more on AMCEN environment and sustainable
development priorities as a starting concern, the
AEETAP programmes and projects should be
implemented in support of the wider goals of
the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable
Development, and the post-2015 Global
Action Plan on ESD, and should draw on and
contribute further to policies, capital, materials,
networks and other mechanisms that have been
established in and for the UN’s Education for
Sustainable Development work. Care should be
taken not to see environmental education and
training and ESD in opposition, but rather to see
environmental sustainability as a core concern
within ESD, as is necessary if a strong approach
to sustainability is adopted in ESD as shown by
Figure 2.1 below.

26 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
2.3 Challenges facing environmental education
and training in Africa
There are a number of challenges facing
environmental education and training systems in
Africa which need to be considered if real outcomes
are to be achieved. These relate to and include:
General education and training system weaknesses:
u High levels of illiteracy on the African
continent which emerge from a history of
educational neglect prior to independence, and
inadequate resources to provide full systems
of education and training for all of Africa’s
citizens in the post-independence period;
u A history of inadequate access to education
and training, and unequal patterns of
participation in education and training with
some sectors of education poorly developed
(e.g. TVET systems);
u Historically, women have been passed over
for education opportunities due to their
cultural roles associated with taking care of
the home. This has led to a reduced number
of women with basic education, more so in
poverty stricken rural areas. Additionally,
some cultures do not encourage education for
women, particularly higher education;
u Neglect of Africa’s higher education system
since the 1970s, with international interest in
and focus on basic education rather than other
education sectors;
u Poor quality education, and a perceived lack
of relevance in many of the education and
training systems;
u High levels of demand for education and
training which puts pressure on institutions to
accommodate large numbers of scholars, where
facilities are often not matched by demand;
u The brain drain which has drawn much of
Africa’s high level skills to other countries;
u Colonial education system structures and
contents which have marginalised indigenous
knowledge and ways of knowing that are
culturally situated in African socio-ecological
contexts; and
u Infrastructure to accommodate the ICT
revolution in education.
The rapidly changing environmental knowledge
context:
u Environmental sciences and content knowledge
produced by environmental scientists globally
is moving faster than society’s capacity to
absorb and make good use of the knowledge
being produced. This is partly related to
Eric Miller / World Bank

27
PRIORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN AFRICA
the practice of science itself, but also to the
growing understanding of the planetary
condition, and new opportunities associated
with the emergence of a Green Economy.
u Knowledge institutions (e.g. universities,
curriculum development institutions etc.)
are challenged to ‘keep up’ with new
environmental content, concepts, solutions and
alternative technologies and practices being
put forward. This requires strong partnerships
between global knowledge producing
institutions (e.g. the UN) and African
education and training institutions.
u Community-based problems and problem
solving approaches are hampered by poverty
and ongoing structural inequalities that are
exacerbated by some forms of development.
Sustainable development thinking is yet to
reach the level of social innovation for real
poverty reduction. This is partly because
African universities and knowledge producing
institutions are yet to take their place as ‘social
innovators’ in the sustainable development
trajectory; most scientic and social innovation
in the sustainable development context has
been generated elsewhere. Gender inequality
hampers problem-solving approaches. When
women are not involved in the decision-making
process, the solutions tailored for them end
up being difcult to implement practically.
Distribution of resources has to be considered
when creating solutions; for instance, women
might farm on land for food crops and collect
rewood to cook in the home, but men are
usually the owners of the land. Hence nding
solutions for land degradation should target
both groups to ensure that both perspectives
are considered.
Neglect and fragmentation of the environmental
education and training sector in Africa:
u While there is evidence of innovative
approaches to environmental education and
training in a wide variety of education and
training settings and contexts in Africa (these
can be found in all countries and all corners of
the continent), there is no co-ordinated system
of engagement for environmental educators
across the African continent.
u Some regions have histories of stronger
sub-sector organisation than others. For
example, the SADC region has had a
15-year programme on environmental
education (2008-2013) funded by Sida and
other international donors, which was also
supported by a 33-year old Association of
Environmental Education since 1982. Similar
organised systems are not as prominent in
other regions of the African continent, and few
pan-African systems of engagement exist.
u There are also few postgraduate programmes
in environmental education and training on
the continent, which does not thus adequately
promote development of leadership for
environmental education and training.
This situation leaves the environmental
education and training sector on the African
continent largely fragmented, without
adequate intellectual and leadership resources
to strengthen and expand environmental
education on the continent, at least not in
relation to the demand and necessity for
expanded environmental education and
training as envisaged by the AMCEN agenda
and the African Environmental Outlook report
ndings.
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28 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 3
THE ACTION PLAN

29
THE ACTION PLAN
3.1 Strategic approach to the AEETAP
A key objective of the Africa Environmental
Education and Training Action Plan is to ensure
that specic, achievable environmental education
and training outcomes translate the principles of
the AMCEN Regional Flagship Programmes and
the Arusha Declaration to actual commitments and
actions for sustainable development. This is to be
done through selected formal, non-formal, informal
social learning, networking and capacity building
systems in Africa, with gender equality throughout,
and achieved through the following three major
strategies that underpin the AEETAP:
1. Supporting EE&T that is aligned
with the AMCEN Regional Flagship
Programmes:
u Support environmental education and training
programmes that are directly or indirectly
oriented towards ensuring that the AMCEN
Regional Flagship Programmes are implemented.
u Integrate these regional agship programmes
into the EE&T key result areas, programmes
and projects so that a coherent, and clearly
focussed environmental education and training
system is developed in Africa.
2. Expanding and upscaling existing
good practice:
u Identify, evaluate, extend, upscale, expand
and where necessary, re-focus existing
environmental education and training
programmes and networks in African
countries to maximise existing capacity for
environmental education and training, so that
key environmental priorities as identied by
AMCEN are more effectively addressed with
expanding existing resources.
3. Strengthening environmental
education and training capacity:
u Strengthen capacity for environmental
education and training systems in African
countries by giving attention to the capacity
building of policy makers, training of trainers
especially training of environmental educators,
trainers and learning facilitators.
u Strengthen the critical thinking, innovation,
institutional, e-learning, and networking
infrastructure necessary for a stronger
environmental education and training system
in Africa.
In addition to the key objectives, AEETAP should
collect sex-disaggregated data to monitor whether
gender equality needs to be addressed. A gender
analysis should be carried out at the community level
(to determine women’s roles, their needs and existing
gaps and inequalities) and at the policy level (to
determine to what extent existing policies on climate
change or education and training etc., are gender-
sensitive).
Dominic Chavez / World Bank

30 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
3.2 Vision, goals and outcomes
3.2.1 Vision
The overall vision of the
AEETAP is a region that is
proactively transforming
society by responding to
environmental issues and
reducing risks, alleviating
poverty and maximising green
economies and sustainable
development on the African
continent, while building
new societies based on the
principles of ecological, social
and economic justice and
sustainability.
3.2.2 Goals
The following are the goals of the AEETAP:
1. Strengthen the capacity of formal education
institutions and actors to integrate AMCEN
priority areas and associated environment and
sustainable development concepts, values and
action learning approaches into policies, practices
and outcomes;
2. Strengthen training activities and programmes
to include wider environmental issues, risks,
green economy opportunities, etc. that respond
creatively and critically to AMCEN priority
areas that maximise potential for sustainable
development and poverty reduction;
3. Strengthen the capacity of policy makers, leaders
and decision makers, ensuring gender equality,
to meaningfully integrate environment and
sustainable development concerns into their
planning, strategies, policy making and budgeting
frameworks through carefully planned capacity
building programmes;
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31
THE ACTION PLAN
4. Strengthen lifelong learning systems and
community education and training systems and
programmes, with consideration for gender
equality, to integrate AMCEN priority concerns,
and to expand the relevance and use of indigenous
knowledge in EE&T;
5. Strengthen the capacity of environmental
education, training and social learning networks
and institutions to support and further develop an
expanding system of environmental education and
training for both men and women in Africa;
6. Integrate innovations in e-learning, curriculum,
transformative learning, assessment and materials
development into environmental education and
training programmes in Africa;
7. Enhance the professional capacity of trainers,
lecturers, social learning facilitators and
environmental educators, ensuring gender
equality, to use innovation-centred approaches to
EE&T in their programmes;
8. Contribute to environmental actions and change
through support for critical, participatory and
action-centred approaches to environmental
education and training in all sectors of formal,
non-formal and lifelong learning for both men
and women; and
9. Monitor and evaluate EE&T programmes for
reexive improvement and relevant outcomes on
the African continent.
3.2.3 Expected outcomes
1. There will be advancement in the integration
of EE&T for both men and women, especially
related to the AMCEN priority areas, in the
formal education and training sectors and systems
in each country of Africa;
2. There will be an increase in innovative and
diverse research related to EE&T and ESD in all
the African countries via strong involvement of
African Ministries of Education, universities and
research support institutions and organisations;
3. Schools, universities and training centres (e.g.
TVET colleges, NGO training centres) will be
important models of sustainable environmental
management for their communities and can also
provide demonstration centres for green economy
practices and transitioning;
4. Community involvement and participation in
EE&T will increase through networked support
of NGOs, CBOs and Faith Based Organisations,
enhancing the use of indigenous knowledge
in environmental learning and sustainable
development, and in environmental and green
economy citizenship practices and actions;
5. The public and private sector will increase its
support and involvement in national and regional
EE&T initiatives and programmes in support of
the overall sustainable development of the region,
based on the agreed upon AMCEN regional
agship programmes;
6. The EE&T strategies of teachers, lecturers,
and Environmental Education and Training
practitioners and other stakeholders in Africa
will be professionally enhanced through capacity
building and leadership opportunities; and
through Training of Trainers programmes and
curriculum innovation and transformative
learning interactions;
7. Civil society in all sub-regions in Africa will be
effectively engaged in the development of EE&T
nationally and regionally; especially in non-
formal and social learning contexts of all major
groups as dened by Earth Summit (Agenda 21).
Brian Waswala / UNEP

32 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
The nine major groups are business and industry;
children and youth; farmers; indigenous peoples
and their communities; local authorities; non-
governmental organisations; the scientic and
technological community; women; and workers
and trade unions.
8. There will be effective and continuous regional
exchange of knowledge, skills, experience,
expertise and best practice via effective ICT
platforms and channels and through the building
and strengthening of national and regional
networks;
9. There will be increased capacity and
opportunities for women and youth from all sub-
regions in Africa to take leadership roles in the
sustainable development of their countries and
societies;
10. There will be increased understanding of the
importance of EE&T for achieving sustainable
development by policy and decision makers – in
both the environmental and the education sectors,
and through this understanding, there will be
stronger support of environmental education
and training initiatives and programmes at local,
regional and national government levels;
11. There will be a range of practice-centred
outcomes through critical, action-centred and
applied approaches to environmental education
and training that strengthen participation in
environmental management practices (such as
ecosystem adaptation; biodiversity management;
green economic activity; sustainable production;
integrated waste management etc.).
12. There will be an increase in networking and
collaborative partnerships supporting and
utilizing environmental education and training
for advancing sustainable development on the
African continent, between all sub-regions,
sectors and at multiple levels;
13. There will be strong monitoring, evaluation and
reporting mechanisms in place for EE&T within
the framework of ESD in each of the sub-regions
of Africa;
14. The AEETAP will have a key and effective
role in taking forward the Global Action Plan
on Education for Sustainable Development
and other relevant regional and international
initiatives; including the African Union’s
commitment to revitalising and improving the
quality and relevance of education in Africa.
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33
THE ACTION PLAN
3.3 Key Result Area 1: Formal Education
3.3.1 Overview of Key Result
Area 1
In Key Result Area 1 of the AEETAP, formal
education includes:
u Early Childhood Education;
u Basic Education;
u Further Education and Training;
u Teacher Education; and
u Higher Education.
NOTE: Technical Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) is also formal education, but due
to its work integrated nature, it is included in Key
Result Area 2: Training.
These areas of formal education provide a continuum
of learning opportunities for societies. If the existing
formal education channels and systems are well
utilised for environmental education and training,
the formal education institutions and systems present
a signicant resource for strengthening ecological
literacy, knowledge of environmental concerns, issues
and solutions, and for developing action competence
amongst the youth and citizenry of the continent.
For example, if children are exposed to environmental
concepts and values in early childhood education and
in basic education, they are more likely to be able to
participate in Green Economy TVET programmes,
and/or to become environmental scientists,
environmental lawyers or environmental economists. It
is therefore important to understand the ‘value chain’
of formal education in supplying environmentally
literate graduates, and also for building foundational
environmental knowledge and competence required
for sustainable development in society.
Formal education is critical for both foundational
learning, and specialist competence development
in both men and women. If Africa is to achieve its
environmental objectives, develop an African Green
Economy, and respond to environmental challenges
and risks such as climate change in ways that
are to ensure sustainable development, resilience,
adaptation and transformation of societies, it will be
critical to ensure that environmental concepts, values
and action learning concepts and approaches are
integrated into all phases and levels of the education
and training system, within a wider framework of
education for sustainable development. Integrating
environmental education into teacher education will
also need to be formally considered.
Some African countries have made progress towards
integration of major environmental concerns and
issues into national education systems, especially
into curriculum policies and teacher education
programmes, and into university education. But
progress remains uneven and even reactive. A much
stronger effort is needed to strengthen efforts to
integrate environmental concepts, and action learning
approaches into critical subjects and disciplines in
schools, colleges and universities, to ensure that
foundational environmental literacy and action
competence exist in all African societies. For example,
as found in the UNEP Mainstreaming Environment
and Sustainability in African Universities
programme, most universities in Africa today have
an Environmental Science Department, but few have
integrated environmental concerns into Law faculties,
or into Education faculties or into Humanities faculty
offerings or even into Agriculture programmes. There
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34 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
is a need therefore to strengthen the integration of
environmental concerns, values and action learning
approaches into a wider range of disciplines in
universities, and to continue to strengthen research,
teaching and community engagement in universities,
for both men and women equally. Additionally,
universities need to develop capacity for inter- and
transdisciplinary research and practice to address
socio-ecological system concerns.
This is true also of teacher education programmes,
as few teacher education programmes are adequately
preparing teachers to teach the new environmental
contents and concepts and action learning approaches
in school curricula. Basic environmental literacy also
remains neglected in Early Childhood Education
Programmes, as has been reported by UNICEF, which
has been running a programme that seeks to prepare
young children for climate change responses.
A key intervention into the formal education sector is
to provide for professional training of the educators,
both men and women. This has catalytic results and
is necessary for changes to occur in the system.
3.3.2 Key priorities and
strategic actions for Key
Result Area 1
Goals:
a) Environmental Education in formal education
is aligned with AMCEN regional priorities and
is incorporated into all levels of the formal
education sector for both men and women
equally, relative to national capacity and
directives in each of the African member states;
b) Environment and sustainability education
concerns are mainstreamed into Teacher
Education in Africa;
c) Environment and sustainability concerns
are mainstreamed into higher education
institutions in Africa through active and
continuous research, curriculum innovation,
teaching, community engagement, sustainable
campus management and sustainability
reporting, involving both men and women
equally; and
d) More educators on the African continent
have capacity to successfully mainstream
environment and sustainability concerns into
national education and training systems.
Strategic actions/priorities:
1. Aligning formal education Environmental
Education policy and quality assurance systems with
AMCEN priorities
u Establish a baseline assessment on the extent
to which formal education systems in Africa
are reecting AMCEN priorities in their
educational policies and curricula. Also
consider how these relate to key national and
international environment and sustainable
development policies including the post-2015
MDG/SDG agenda, and UNEP’s priorities.
u Develop and distribute guidelines to ensure that
Quality Assurance (QA) systems (i.e. national
standards) and policies include environmental
education and education for sustainable
development (EE/ESD) concerns that are
aligned with AMCEN priorities combined
with national environment and sustainable
development priorities in the relevant subject
frameworks, disciplines and assessment systems.
QA systems should include measurement of
women and men and how environmental issues
might impact them differently; EE&T should
be contextualised to take into account roles of
men and women and how these impact their
decision-making abilities.

35
THE ACTION PLAN
w Means of verication for M&E: Baseline
assessment report; guidelines distributed;
evidence of use of guidelines to change policy
and practice.
2. Curriculum innovations support
u Develop guidelines for curriculum innovation
that includes environment and sustainability
concerns (aligned with AMCEN priorities)
for various levels of the formal education and
training system (including Early Childhood
Education, Basic Education, Further Education
and Higher Education). Curriculum innovations
should include workshops that target both men
and women, and women participation must
be encouraged. Grants should target men and
women equally to promote participation of
both towards environmental issues.
u Arrange workshops with national curriculum
development centres and curriculum policy
makers to engage them in curriculum
innovation issues relevant to environment and
sustainability education.
w Means of verication for M&E: Curriculum
innovation guidelines; evidence of curriculum
innovations supported by guidelines and
professional development programmes.
3. Mainstreaming environment and sustainable
development concerns into teacher education
u Establish a baseline assessment on the extent
to which teacher education programmes (in-
service and pre-service) address EE/ ESD theory
and practice (with reference to the AMCEN
priority areas, and national priorities for SD).
u Develop a major teacher education programme
for all forms of teacher education (Early
Childhood Education, Basic Education,
Further Education and Higher Education) to
address gaps identied using the best available
materials and programmes and using ICT
enhanced learning/portal approaches.
w Means of verication for M&E: Baseline
assessment report; number of teacher
education institutions mainstreaming
environment and sustainability issues; number
of teachers trained in environment and
sustainability education.
4. Mainstreaming environment and sustainable
development into universities and higher education
institutions
u Establish a baseline assessment on the extent
to which universities are mainstreaming
environment and sustainability concerns
into Higher Education through teaching,
research, community engagement and campus
management activities.
u Expand the Mainstreaming Environment and
Sustainability in African Universities (MESA)
Partnership programme to more universities
in Africa and deepen and expand existing
mainstreaming practices in MESA universities.
u Support new programme development
in universities at diploma, degree and
postgraduate levels focusing on AMCEN
priority areas and EE&T capacity building.
u Strengthen and support student organisations
and student organisation leaders working
on environment and sustainability issues on
campuses, and create networking platforms for
them to interact and share experiences.
u Develop and support MESA universities to
use sustainability assessments and institute
a sustainability reporting initiative for
universities in Africa that is aligned with
AMCEN priorities, and African university
campus realities.
w Means of verication for M&E: Number
of MESA universities; types and results of
Dominic Chavez / World Bank

36 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
mainstreaming interventions; numbers of
new courses and graduates of these courses;
sustainability reports and results from
universities.
5. Professional development of educators
u Review the range and scope of available
professional development programmes for
educators and their alignment with AMCEN
priorities.
u Develop a ‘agship’ training programme for
ongoing professional Development of Educators
(Training of Trainers), including university
educators, educational ofcials (e.g. curriculum
developers), and teacher educators drawing
on knowledge of existing ‘best practices’ of
change oriented learning (e.g. SADC REEP / ITP
Change Project model) in this area and align
these with AMCEN priorities.
w Means of verication for M&E: Review of
PD programmes; numbers of professional
educators trained; educational change projects
implemented by professional educators
showing changes in practice.
6. Contextualisation and development of learning
materials
u Establish a professional development
e-learning platform that a) makes relevant
materials available for use in African contexts,
and b) that supports educators to contextualise
materials to national and local contexts.
u Make new research knowledge available
in accessible format for use in educational
programmes and project through this portal /
e-learning platform.
u Train key educators and educational networks
to use the portal / platform where experience
of contextualising and developing materials
can be shared.
w Means of verication for M&E: Use of
e-learning platform and numbers and quality
of materials exchanged and developed via the
platform.
7. Grants and scholarship programme to promote
environmental and environmental education research
u Promote research on EE/ ESD issues in formal
education to ensure continuing development
and renewal of thinking and approaches in
these areas.
u Develop a core research programme on
ICT-enhanced EE/ESD approaches to inform
upscaling of EE/ESD initiatives in formal
education and other learning settings.
w Means of verication for M&E: Number of
research projects; evidence of how research is
changing practices, especially in ICT use.
u Establish and maintain a grant and scholarship
programme for EE&T and AMCEN RFP
research areas.
u Develop an alumni system for grant and
scholarship holders linked to the MESA
programme, and regional and sub-regional
networks.
w Means of verication for M&E: Grant scheme
exists; annual applications; completed studies;
alumni participation in networks.
3.3.3 Strategies for
implementation
Suggested strategies for implementation include:
u Step 1: Review existing programmes and
activities in each key strategic action area
u Step 2: Identify key partners/participating
organisations and networks
u Step 3: Engage with these partners/
participating organisations to review existing
practice and renew existing practice in line
with AMCEN priorities
u Step 4: Identify implementation partners for
key activities
u Step 5: Establish effective communication
systems for the key result area
u Step 6: Establish and maintain online
monitoring and evaluation systems that collect
generic M&E data across the key result area
u Step 7: Bi-annual reporting

37
THE ACTION PLAN
BOX 3.1
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS KEY RESULT AREA FROM THE ADDIS ABABA AEETAP
CONSULTATIONS
to preventing environmental degradation, and to
develop care and ethics of planetary stewardship.
It must be relevant at a local level but also be
connected to other contexts, places, scales and
levels.
u To integrate environmental education successfully
into the education system, there is a need to
strengthen existing core curriculum activities both
inside and outside the universities and schools.
u Environmental education must be ethics based
and must create love of the environment; it must
be visionary and help learners to envision a better
future or ‘the world we want’.
u There is a need to establish sustainable funding
sources for formal environmental education and
training and to integrate environmental education
and training activities into mainstream education
system budgets. It should not be seen as an ‘add on’.
u Children and learners everywhere in all formal
education institutions should be encouraged
to celebrate and contribute actively to special
environmental days such as World Environment Day,
Earth Day, etc., and to connect with others around
the planet to share experiences.
u There is a strong need to ensure that formal
environmental education is conducted at
university level. Governments must design clear,
comprehensive environmental policies that can
also guide educational interventions and priorities
and environmental education must be a core
component in the education system.
u Teacher education for environmental education
should be prioritised in all countries so that teachers
are empowered and able to teach environmental
education in a creative, proactive and futures-
oriented manner.
u Environmental education in the formal education
system must be systematised, and must oer a
‘long term education’, starting from early childhood
education, progressively continued through to
tertiary level. This should include teacher education
at all levels.
u Environmental education should adopt an applied
approach, it should be practical and should be
linked to action outcomes. Additionally, it should
be adaptable and context based. There should
be specialised teaching packages that address
environmental concerns, and help children and
learners to develop more proactive approaches
Brian Waswala / UNEP

38 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
3.4 Key Result Area 2: Vocational Education and
Training and Training of Government Ocials
3.4.1 Overview of Key Result
Area 2
Few Technical and Vocational Education and
Training programmes have started integrating
sustainable development concepts and approaches,
and there is much room for innovation here as an
African Green Economy is conceptualised. To date,
even those faculties and colleges offering agricultural
training (the backbone of the African economy) are
not adequately integrating environmental concepts
and sustainable agricultural / green agricultural
economic approaches.
Business needs to be oriented towards climate
compatible development, and low carbon futures,
while new green economy innovations need
to be nurtured and supported through green
economy training programmes. New technologies
and initiatives need to be made available for
demonstration in vocational education and training
centres to ensure stronger integration of theory and
practice, and to provide for viable practical and work-
oriented education and training in the TVET stream.
There is also a strong need to support green
entrepreneurship through models of training that
support knowledge of the green economy, but
that also emphasise the new opportunities that
are emerging in and through the green economy
for employment, especially amongst youth. It is
essential that women are supported alongside men
for green entrepreneurship. Leadership training
and curriculum development training is also critical
for advancement of green economy thinking and
environmental education in the training sector.
Women are more likely to benet most directly
from environmental conservation, protection and
improvement and to share these benets with their
communities. Additionally, involving women leaders
in the decision-making process is key, as men and
women are impacted differently by environmental
changes. Women’s voices are key especially for
poverty stricken women who are rarely heard, and
who have a direct impact when it comes to use of
natural resources in the home.
Core to the above is the training of a new cadre of
TVET lecturers and policy makers, that includes
women, who are able to identify opportunities in the
green economy, and to realise them in and through
Green Economy oriented qualications design,
curriculum design and partnership development
with business for demonstration and work-
experience opportunities at TVET college level.
Links and learning pathways for Green Economy
and technology need to be built from TVET into
Universities of Technology. Such Green Economy
learning pathways currently hardly exist on the
African continent, and this presents a huge new area
of educational innovation and education and training
system development.
Of importance is the fact that these forms of
education are also crucial for decision making and for

39
THE ACTION PLAN
ongoing policy implementation, and for developing
and strengthening leadership for the environmental
sector. Environmental issues are often new and have
not formed part of the educational experience of
most politicians, government ofcials and others
leaders. There is therefore a need to strengthen
their knowledge of these new concerns, issues and
approaches, and to develop professional development
programmes that strengthen their capacity to
apply these new ideas and policy directions in their
everyday practice of policy making, decision making,
leadership provision and governance.
3.4.2 Key priorities and
strategic actions for Key
Result Area 2
Goals:
a) To ensure that the prole, content and facilities
for green TVET are enhanced and expanded
on the African continent;
b) To ensure mainstreaming of Green Economy
principles and practices into TVET policy
and practice and into government in-service
training programmes;
c) To build capacity of TVET educators, policy
makers, public sector ofcials and lecturers; and
d) To expand partnership frameworks , which
includes women’s groups, for Green Economy
and Green TVET.
Strategic actions/priorities:
1. Demonstration learning environments for green
TVET
u Support the establishment of Green Economy
Conversion Centres, workplace environmental
practices and viable demonstration facilities
(e.g. green campuses; green technology
demonstration sites) to strengthen
action learning, innovation and practical
opportunities for youth empowerment.
u Expand partnerships with business
and industry to supply and support the
establishment of model demonstration sites
within TVET campuses.
u Support the greening of institutional practices,
and adoption of green economy principles (e.g.
green procurement) in TVET institutions.
w Means of verication for M&E: Numbers
of Green Economy Conversion Centres and
demonstration sites being used for TVET
learning; Green campus and Green Economy
reporting in TVET centres.
2. Establish competence-based models for green TVET
u Develop competence-based approaches to
sustainable development / green sector career
pathways development. Such competence-
based approaches should take account of
international critiques of competence-based
models (e.g. to ensure the inclusion of
adequate knowledge as well as skills), and
should be modelled on best practices and on
African Green Economy priorities and realities.
u Develop a stratied approach to competence-
based models for TVET (e.g. artisan level,
management level etc.), and ensure learning
pathway alignment and relevant forms
of articulation between TVET colleges,
Brian Waswala / UNEP

40 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
and higher education institutions such as
Universities of Technology, Faculties of
Engineering and Agriculture, etc. to ensure
viable learning pathways for Green Economy
and Green TVET development.
u Train TVET curriculum developers in the
abovementioned approaches, issues and
learning pathways to ensure coherence and
progression in TVET approaches.
w Mean of verication for M&E: Quality and
quantity of Green TVET programmes based
on competence-based models; availability
of viable Green Economy / TVET learning
pathways.
3. Career guidance and career pathing support
u Review existing initiatives that are promoting
Green Career Guidance and Career Pathing in
Africa and review them in relation to AMCEN
priorities framework.
u Make available (link up with existing
initiatives) and develop new ‘Green Career’
guidance materials for youth in Africa interested
in Green Career pathways and maintain such a
‘Green Careers’ portal for regular youth access.
Also encourage partnerships that can facilitate
active use of the portal.
u Identify role models (both men and women)
and include them on the Green Careers portal
to model successful Green Economy / Green
Career opportunities on the African continent.
u Train Career Guidance Facilitators in Green
Career Guidance and in how to make use of
the portal.
w Means of verication for M&E: Green career
guidance initiatives report; options available
on the portal; use of, and participation in the
portal; numbers of trained teachers.
4. Training of TVET college lecturers and curriculum
developers
u Review and develop a baseline analysis of
existing initiatives that are oriented towards
Green TVET lecturer / curriculum development
training on the African continent.
u Establish a Training of Trainers programme
specically dedicated to TVET college lecturers
and curriculum developers focussing on Green
TVET and Green Economy skills development
planning, curriculum development and
training (including theory-practice integration;
competence-based approaches; demonstration
sites and centres etc.). Both men and women
need to be trained as curriculum developers,
lecturers and to work in government at
decision making levels. Include a change
project / change oriented learning component
to strengthen implementation of training
outcomes in TVET training sites.
w Means of verication for M&E: Green
TVET Training of Trainers and Curriculum
Developers Review; Green TVET ToT
programme and change project outcomes.
5. Training of government ofcials, decision makers
u Integrate the AMCEN priorities, including
M&E competence, into curriculum and
programme development and Training
of Trainers programmes for Schools of
Government / Public Management Training
Programmes.
u Support environmental / ESD curriculum
development and curriculum innovations in
Schools of Government / Public Management
Training Programmes and other institutions
with primary responsibility for training
government ofcials.
u Develop a network and communications
structure to facilitate ongoing environmental/SD
policy information communication into Schools
of Government/Public Management Training
Programmes and their ToT programmes.
w Means of verication for M&E: Level of
integration of AMCEN and SD priorities
into government training programmes and
curricula; capacity of lecturers to work on SD
issues in schools of government; information
communication system use.
6. State investment in green TVET facilities and
programmes, and public private partnerships
u Produce a baseline study on the scope and
possibilities that exist for increasing state
investment in TVET programmes and
facilities, and the leveraging of private-public

41
THE ACTION PLAN
partnership platforms for Green TVET
programmes and facilities in key AMCEN
priority areas.
u Based on the baseline assessment report,
develop a communications and policy brief
series that is oriented to a) strengthening state
investment in Green TVET programmes and
facilities; and b) expanded public-private
partnerships for Green TVET programmes and
facilities development.
u Strengthen public private partnerships for
EE&T capacity building at all levels of the
TVET and government training system
through country-based and regional platforms
(south-south, and south-east / south-north) for,
for example, carbon trading capacity building;
renewable energy capacity building, etc.
w Means of verication for M&E: Baseline
data report on the extent to which the state
is investing in Green TVET programmes and
facilities; available platforms (old and new) in
use; outcomes of the programmes.
7. Policy information communication
u Develop an innovative, attractive, adaptive
and highly visible networked learning system
for policy information communication that
can be used to share and mobilise information
and knowledge sharing with political leaders
at various levels of the system for decision
making purposes (e.g. regular translation of
research information into policy briefs; sharing
results of positive political decisions related to
SD and AMCEN priorities, etc.).
u Integrate the use of this site into all Training of
Trainers programmes to facilitate wider uptake
and use at all levels of the political decision
making system.
3.4.3 Means of implementation
and expanding on existing
initiatives
Suggested means of implementation include:
u Step 1: Review existing programmes and
activities in each key strategic action area
u Step 2: Identify key partners / participating
organisations and networks
u Step 3: Engage with these partners /
participating organisations to review existing
practice and renew existing practice in line
with AMCEN priorities
u Step 4: Identify implementation partners for
key activities;
u Step 5: Establish effective communication
systems for the key result area
u Step 6: Establish and maintain online
monitoring and evaluation systems that collect
generic M&E data across the key result area
u Step 7: Bi-annual reporting
ELRC / Rhodes University

42 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
BOX 3.2
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS KEY RESULT AREA FROM THE ADDIS ABABA AEETAP
CONSULTATIONS
u Another key priority is the training of lecturers
and policy makers to develop their concepts of
‘environment and sustainability’ and the ‘Green
Economy’, ‘renewable energy’, ‘sustainable
consumption and production’ as these are all new
concepts within the TVET system.
u There will be a need for advocacy work with ocials
for bringing environment and sustainability into
the TVET programmes – at local levels, and there is
also a need for awareness creation and validation of
the important role of TVET in achieving sustainable
development. Governments need to give TVET
much more attention as it is critical for development
of the continent, and also oers new pathways for
youth into work and into sustainable enterprises.
u To develop the Green Economy and TVET for Green
Economy development, there is a need to focus
on improved technologies and the active use of
new technologies through TVET. For this, high
quality demonstration sites are needed that model
principles of the Green Economy and also how
the new technologies work. There should also be
research on how the new technologies can be used
and accommodated by communities.
u There is an urgent need for curriculum revision
and review of TVET centres (e.g. agricultural
productivity – in line with the new green
technologies) as these are currently not in line
with agricultural sustainability, climate change
adaptation, etc.
ELRC / Rhodes University

43
THE ACTION PLAN
3.5 Key Result Area 3: Lifelong Learning, Youth
Development and Community Education
3.5.1 Overview of Key Result
Area 3
Lifelong learning and community education, in this
Action Plan, include:
u Adult basic education;
u Community/citizenship education
programmes;
u Workplace learning;
u Media education programmes and other social
learning systems; and
u Informal ICT enhanced learning environments.
These forms of education complement and extend
formal education learning opportunities. They are
also often most critical in contexts where poverty,
war and other societal ills have deprived citizens
of a formal education. Adult basic education and
community citizenship education and training
programmes are most often provided by NGOs and
other community based organisations. Increasingly,
however, much new learning is taking place in
workplaces and these have become an important
site for learning new competences and skills,
especially those necessary for greening existing jobs.
Information and communication technology is also
making a range of new lifelong learning opportunities
available to citizens.
Adult basic education is a critical area of skills
development for poverty reduction, especially for
women. It has been shown that adult education,
when offered to women has signicant development
benets.
Adult education, community citizenship education
and training and workplace learning programmes
are an ideal context for integrating principles and
practices of sustainable development as they can
result in immediate practice outcomes if action
learning approaches are adopted.
Media based education and learning programmes are
also a very powerful source of learning in African
societies, and there are examples of how strategies
such as community radio programming and other
social marketing approaches can be used to further
community learning and sustainable development
outcomes.
There are new areas of opportunity for such
approaches to education and learning, for example
green economy entrepreneurship development
programmes for out-of-school youth or women
farmers – two priority target groups for community
education and lifelong learning programmes.
There is much to be done in strengthening
environmental education and training concepts
and approaches in and for lifelong learning and
community-based education in Africa.
3.5.2 Key priorities and
strategic actions for Key
Result Area 3
1. Adult learning
u Conduct a baseline analysis of how existing
Adult Education and Training Curricula
(ABET and other forms of Adult Learning e.g.
Open and Distance Learning) Programmes are
incorporating AMCEN priorities and where
key areas of expertise lie.
u Integrate EE&T approaches and strategies into
Adult Education and Training curricula and
programmes to address key priority areas of
AMCEN (e.g. ecosystem-based adaptation in
rural areas).
u Implement a Training of Trainers Programme
for adult educators and planners of Open and
Distance Education (e.g. SADC ODL unit),
with gender equality in mind, to integrate
environment and sustainability issues into
existing ODL programmes and courses.

44 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
u Integrate EE&T priorities into workplace
upskilling programmes (informal and non-
formal) in key institutions (e.g. major energy
companies).
2. NGO, CBO, FBO environmental organisation,
government extension and public health learning
partnership programme
u Conduct baseline assessment on how NGOs,
CBOs and FBO environmental organisations
mainstream/can mainstream AMCEN priorities
into their practices and work more effectively
with government extension and public
health partners to strengthen action-oriented
community learning and extension practices.
u Based on the assessment and analysis, develop
a framework and guidelines on how NGOs,
CBOs, and FBO environmental organisations
can strengthen partnerships and links with
government and extension and public health
programmes to mainstream AMCEN priorities,
and to upscale best practices, examples of
practice that work and models of change.
u Establish a suitable e-learning platform where
examples of best practice and networked
learning can occur across countries focussing
on this strategic action.
u Integrate use of this platform into all Training
of Trainers Programmes to facilitate uptake
and use of the platform at country and at local
levels.
w Means of verication for M&E: Existence
of partnerships between NGOs, CBOs,
FBOs and government extension and health
services promoting learning and new practices
associated with the AMCEN priorities; use of
e-learning platform and integration of concepts
and approaches into training programmes.
3. Indigenous knowledge and learning for
sustainability
u Analyse, evaluate and capture relevant
indigenous knowledge to inform and
strengthen sustainable development practices
for present and future well-being on the
African continent, and in relation to key
AMCEN priority areas. As users of natural
resources for the household, women are
a key source of indigenous knowledge.
Women’s groups can be approached for their
contributions.
u Mobilise and link indigenous knowledge and
other forms of scientic knowledge through
participatory learning approaches.
u Create mechanisms for the publication
and sharing of indigenous knowledge and
associated learning processes for sustainability.
u Integrate knowledge of how to analyse,
evaluate and capture IK to inform and
strengthen SD into all Training of Trainers
programmes to enhance uptake and use of such
approaches in education and training systems.
w Means of verication for M&E: Captured
IK and evidence of use of IK in training
programmes, and related changed practices.
4. Small grant system for social innovation through
EE&T
u Establish a small grant fund and system for
supporting the development of innovative
approaches to EE&T that also further the
goals of social innovation for sustainability
on the African continent, and lifelong learning
on the African continent. Small grant systems
should also target women as key to furthering
goals of sustainability and innovation.
w Means of verication for M&E: Availability
of small grants; use of small grant system;
innovations emerging from small grant system.
Ray Witlin / World Bank

45
THE ACTION PLAN
3.5.3 Means of implementation
and expanding on existing
initiatives
Suggested means of implementation include:
u Step 1: Review existing programmes and
activities in each key strategic action area
u Step 2: Identify key partners / participating
organisations and networks
u Step 3: Engage with these partners /
participating organisations to review existing
practice and renew existing practice in line
with AMCEN priorities
u Step 4: Identify implementation partners for
key activities
u Step 5: Establish effective communication
systems for the key result area
u Step 6: Establish and maintain online
monitoring and evaluation systems that collect
generic M&E data across the key result area
u Step 7: Bi-annual reporting
u This is a vital area for environmental education, and
teachers, university lecturers and environmental
educators should all engage communities and
the youth wherever possible. Voluntarism is
an important approach to cultivate as people
can do much to improve the condition of the
environment if they are willing to engage with
the issues. Educators should also look for ways
of strengthening voluntarism amongst student
communities and amongst out-of-school youth
groups, as well as amongst school children where
appropriate.
u Innovative and exciting community citizenship
programmes should be developed to enthuse youth
and their communities to participate in sustainable
development actions. Here good use can be made
of expert exchange and community engagement
programmes, as well as links with NGOs, CBOs, faith
based organisations and community leadership
structures and organisations.
u The private sector and government organisations
should also be encouraged to make contributions
to community engagement for sustainability
programmes.
u Government departments can also be encouraged
to launch competitions and small grants for
community innovations that promote sustainability.
u Much better use should be made of media
including lm and visual media that can for example
show land degradation and demonstrate the
environmental problems, and what can be done.
New social media such as Facebook and twitter
can be used as more people have access to cell
phone technology. Better use can be made of SMS
information texting as has already been the case in
some farmer education and support programmes.
u There should also be a strong focus on workplace
ethics to strengthen informal lifelong learning in
workplaces as many sustainability practices can be
followed in such workplaces (e.g. energy eciency,
resource use reduction etc.).
BOX 3.3
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS KEY RESULT AREA FROM THE ADDIS ABABA AEETAP
CONSULTATIONS

46 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
3.6 Key Result Area 4: Capacity Building,
Networking and Social Learning
Learning takes place in formal institutional contexts,
in non-formal learning environments, but also
through more complex forms of networked learning,
in communities of practice, and through longer term
social learning. These forms of learning are not new,
but they have gained prominence in recent years as
the use of ICTs have spread and as people have gained
access to the internet and a variety of new forms
of networked learning. Learning in communities of
practice has also gained prominence as it has become
obvious that learning extends beyond formal learning
contexts. Learning in such contexts can also be
cultivated, supported and enhanced through various
means. Also, as learning opportunities have expanded,
so have learning networks and today many different
learning networks exist, which also need to be
supported. Learning through such networks can also
signicantly expand professional and other forms of
formal and informal learning.
On the African continent, use of the internet is
expanding, and mobile phone usage is already
extremely common, creating many new opportunities
for learning. Media use also provides important new
possibilities for learning and knowledge exchange,
as so does access to new platforms such as Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that are offered
free to people around the world. However, there is a
need for capacity building for strategic stakeholders
such as media practitioners, those that are leading
and developing networks and for the building of
communities of practice.
The internet has introduced into society a range
of new learning approaches and tools such as the
use of social networks (e.g. Facebook) for informal
learning. In Africa, the prominence of the mobile
phone as a major e-learning tool is increasingly being
seen as an important tool for networked learning.
Successful experiments have been conducted in how
messages can be communicated to farmers using
internet and mobile phone technologies that have
real development outcomes. Such technologies can
also be mobilised for sustainable development and
environmental learning.
It has also been proven that formalised environmental
education networks considerably strengthen EE&T
programme development. Such networks are
particularly important for strengthening quality and
for ongoing knowledge sharing and exchange, as can
be seen from the EEASA network in southern Africa
which has a 30-year history, and the MESA network
which has a nine-year history. Such networks
need to be supported, strengthened and expanded
through deliberate network support approaches.
Women’s groups and other informal groups can
play an important role in supporting environmental
education and training. There is also new interest
in social learning in communities of practice as a
new and innovative way of seeding change through
education and training. These approaches can all
be more successfully harnessed for environmental
education and training.
3.6.1 Key priorities and
strategic actions for Key Result
Area 4
1. Media, social media and social learning and
e-learning capacity development
u Undertake a baseline assessment to examine the
extent to which, and the manner in which the
different types of media, such as social media,
e-learning and social learning approaches
are currently being used for EE&T in Africa.
Identify examples of innovative practice that
can potentially be upscaled and expanded.
u Develop and/or adapt a Training of Trainers
programme/module for Environmental
Educators and Trainers to develop capacity for,
and share knowledge of EE&T programmes
and platforms using media, social media, mobile
learning and other social/media/technology
enhanced approaches to learning – integrate
this into all Training of Trainers programmes.
u Develop a Training of Trainers programme/
module capacity building programme focussing

47
THE ACTION PLAN
on use of e-learning and technology enhanced
learning approaches, with strategies on how
to assess and evaluate such learning and its
outcomes.
u Network with the private sector, and
form partnerships with key private sector
organisations that have examples of innovative
ways of working with e-learning, media, social
media and social learning technologies for
environment and sustainability education and
learning.
u Historically, women have had reduced access
to basic education based on their traditional
domestic roles. Women should be involved in
the development of training programmes and
should also be participants in e-learning and
other courses.
w Means of verication in M&E: Baseline
assessment; evidence of use of media,
social media, e-learning and social learning
approaches in EE&T programmes; evidence of
partnerships for innovation.
2. Network building and support
u Identify existing networks that are aligned with
the AMCEN priorities and the key result areas
of this Action Plan. Clarify their potential roles
and contributions for strengthening EE&T and
action learning for the AMCEN priorities in
various education, training and social learning
contexts. Assess capacity gaps within these
networks and where their practices can be
expanded and upscaled.
u Strengthen and expand existing networks
identied above with appropriate and relevant
‘catalytic’ support, including training and
capacity building for network development
and sustainability.
u Develop guidelines for network sustainability
and functioning based on experiences and the
baseline analysis that can be shared amongst
partner networks, with M&E tools to monitor
ongoing outcomes and strength of networks
and network functioning.
u Strengthen South-South networking with
specically funded interventions, and also
potentially through a small grant system that
strengthens South-South networking.
w Means of verication for M&E: Existence
of networks for EE&T; expansion of
networks and networking capacity for EE&T;
sustainability of networks; expanded number
of South-South networks for EE&T.
3. Mentorship and leadership programme
u Develop a mentorship programme for out-of-
school youth to become actively engaged in
WWF-SA

48 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
environmental and sustainability related citizen
and green economy activities. Women need to
play mentorship roles to encourage young girls
to venture into more adventurous and dynamic
roles.
u Strengthen community leadership in key
community organisations for environment and
sustainability education activities focussing on
AMCEN priority areas.
w Means of verication for M&E: Mentorship
programme exists; numbers of youth mentored
into the sector; strengthened community
leadership for EE&T.
4. Donor and research organisation involvement
u Engage with donor and research organisations
to include EE&T in their policies, calls for
programmes and criteria. It is also important
to engage with donors who support gender
initiatives so as to have specic gender-related
goals where possible.
u Share research and practice outcomes and
insights with them, and the impact (immediate
and catalytic) of environmental education and
training interventions, based on M&E data.
w Means of verication for M&E: Increased
donor and research organisation participation
in EE&T.
5. Capacity to build capacity: Environmental
education innovation, infrastructure and leadership
u Develop a focussed Africa-wide Environmental
Education and Training International
Certicate Course for the key ‘leaders’ in
all of the programmes associated with the
Key Results Areas of the Action Plan, giving
attention to their capacity building and
practice innovations.
u Develop an e-learning platform for sharing
innovation in environmental education
and training amongst organisations and
practitioners that are leading and or
contributing to the implementation of the
Action Plan.
u Support Masters and PhD level studies in
Environmental Education and Training (and
the emergence of such programmes in African
universities) to develop leadership for the eld
of environmental education and training and
to resource the African EE&T Action Plan
with innovations in Environmental Education
and Training. Women leaders can play a key
role here.
u Support the emergence of more EE&T
‘champions’ within the various key result
areas of the EE&T Action Plan, and facilitate
international / South-South leadership co-
operation and knowledge exchange.
w Means of verication for M&E: A highly
trained, professional network of environmental
educators / ‘champions’ exists across the
African continent, with access to postgraduate
study and leadership capacity development;
and networked links to international
environmental education and training
professionals.
3.6.2 Means of implementation
and expanding on existing
initiatives
Suggested means of implementation include:
u Step 1: Review existing programmes and
activities in each key strategic action area,
ensuring that gender considerations have been
taken into account
u Step 2: Identify key partners / participating
organisations and networks
u Step 3: Engage with these partners /
participating organisations to review existing
practice and renew existing practice in line
with AMCEN priorities
u Step 4: Identify implementation partners for
key activities
u Step 5: Establish effective communication
systems for the key result area
u Step 6: Establish and maintain online
monitoring and evaluation systems that
collect generic M&E data across the key
result area
u Step 7: Bi-annual reporting

49
THE ACTION PLAN
u Make better use of existing social networks that are
powerful in mainstream societies (e.g. community
societies), and link advocacy to these networks.
u Focus on mobile technologies for community
learning – use the platform of mobile banking to
reach people more widely (e.g. for early warning,
capacity building).
u Focus on capacity building for using e-learning in
high schools, college and universities (e.g. AEO for
Youth Programme).
u Make better use of School Television Programming
and link this to club and voluntary initiatives in
schools and their communities.
u Establish a strong Africa Voluntary Environmental
Initiative which focuses on youth but is also an inter-
generational initiative.
u Help to establish and support stable secretariats for
membership organisations and networks; extend
MESA programme to other universities, and use
peer review and seed funding to strengthen existing
projects and programmes to expand to other
universities.
BOX 3.4
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS KEY RESULT AREA FROM THE ADDIS ABABA AEETAP
CONSULTATIONS
Dana Smillie / World Bank

50 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 4
CROSS-CUTTING
ISSUES

51
CROSSCUTTING ISSUES
There are a number of cross-cutting issues that need
to be dealt with in all of the Key Result Areas and
AMCEN focus areas for the successful development
and implementation of environmental education
and training as outlined in the AEETAP. Dealing
with these cross-cutting issues in tandem with the
key result areas will be essential for enabling an
innovative and relevant approach to environmental
education and training in Africa. These issues are
briey discussed below, and those working with the
AEETAP are encouraged to consider these carefully
as programmes are developed and expanded.
4.1 Contextualisation
Environmental contexts differ, as do environmental
issues and risks in different contexts, and
appropriate responses to these issues. Similarly,
people who are engaging with the environmental
issues and risks are not all the same; they have
diverse cultural and social histories, diverse
languages, and diverse systems of practice. Thus
for any environmental education and training
programme to be successful, there is a need to
give attention to both the contextualisation of the
environmental concerns being dealt with, as well as
the socio-economic and socio-cultural and socio-
historical contexts of the people that are involved in
the educational and training work. There is also a
need to contextualise environmental education and
training in diverse subjects, sub-elds and levels of
the education and training system.
When considering environmental issues and risks in
different contexts, the gender perspective must be
taken into account and training must factor in these
ndings. Varying roles in use of natural resources
should be considered. For instance, when it comes to
cultivating food crops, women are usually the main
land users whilst men are usually the landowners.
There needs to be careful consideration of the power
balance. Negative impacts on women following
the training should also be considered; in many
households men are the main decision-makers,
hence getting buy-in from men is crucial.
WWF-SA

52 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
4.2 Integration and inter-disciplinarity
As indicated in the rst section of the AEETAP,
environmental issues need to be viewed from a
socio-ecological systems perspective which requires
integration of both natural and social scientic
perspectives, as well as integration of knowledge,
skills, values and action. Thus, EE&T processes
4.3 Policy development
For environmental education and training to be fully
developed in African education and training systems
there is a need for ongoing policy development. As
indicated earlier in the AEETAP, there has been some
progress made in this area, but there is still much
to be done to ensure that EE&T is integrated into
all education and training policy at all levels and in
all sub-sectors of the education and training system
– from ECD to higher education, including TVET,
public and community education, adult education
and social learning via the media. Policy development
should include strategies that strengthen gender
equality. Gender relations and roles need to be taken
into careful consideration. There is also a need to
ensure that EE&T is integrated into different levels
of policy making. For example, it can be included
require integration and inter-disciplinarity at all levels
of the education and training system, and also in
all contexts where EE&T takes place. Another key
issue to be considered is the integration of local and
indigenous knowledge with scientic and other forms
of more abstracted knowledge.
in broad-based educational policy, but must then
also be included specically in curriculum policy,
and also in examination and assessment policy. This
should be done within the framework of Education
for Sustainable Development as many countries
have already started doing. However, such policy
development work should be fast-tracked and
upscaled.
There is also a need to shift from ‘outreach’ and
‘awareness raising’ on environmental education
to action competence and practice, as it has been
shown that raising awareness on issues is not
adequate; people have to become engaged in actions
to resolve and address problems for change to
materialise.
Brian Waswala / UNEP

53
CROSSCUTTING ISSUES
4.4 Curriculum and materials development
A very important part of education and training is
curriculum and materials development, which helps
teachers to know what to teach, and to bring high
quality knowledge and approaches to learners. There
is a need to focus on integrating environmental
education and training into curricula at all levels of
the educational system, and curriculum developers
should be adequately empowered to do this. Textbook
authors should also be supported to include high
quality and accurate environmental information in
the learning materials that they develop, and teachers
should be supported to use these materials as well.
Curriculum and materials development processes
should take gender dimensions into account.
4.7 Learning and changes in practice
Environmental education and training also involves
getting engaged in actions for change. A focus on
changes in practice can help teachers and learners to
become more action-engaged. Small scale practices
such as using energy more efciently, or recycling
practices can be good places to start, and these can
scale up and outwards to other practices such as using
green technologies. Learners should be encouraged
to examine existing practices in society, taking into
account gender dimensions, and to discuss how
such practices could be changed. It is also helpful to
consider that practices can be changed by people,
either individually or collectively, and to support
learners to develop the action competences necessary
to participate successfully in changing practices in the
environment (school, university campus, community
or surrounding social-ecological context). Eco-
Schools and Green Campus programmes have shown
how successful this approach can be for engaging
people actively in changing practices through EE&T.
4.6 Values and ethics
Environmental education and training is also values-
based as it requires a critique of norms that bring
about unsustainable practices and habits. Learners
engaged in environmental education and training at
all levels of the education and training system and in
all education and training contexts should therefore
be encouraged to explicitly engage in discussions
on values and ethics, and to participate in building
an ethics of fairness, justice and sustainability for
an improved future for all people and living things
on Earth. Some discussions need to focus on gender
equality.
4.5 Transformative learning and assessment
Environmental education requires learners to
become engaged in processes of change to reduce
environmental risk and to implement alternative
practices to those that are unsustainable. It also
requires learners to engage in societal transformation
towards a more sustainable future. Thus,
environmental education and training support
active learning, creativity and critical approaches to
learning and transformative approaches to learning,
taking into account gender dimensions. This needs to
be reected in assessment practice and may require
that more formative types of assessment are used
for environmental education, rather than summative
testing only.

54 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
4.8 Use of information and communication
technologies
4.9 Capacity building for environmental
educators and trainers
A new challenge for many educators in Africa is to
make better use of ICTs in their teaching and learning.
There are many rapidly emerging approaches to
using ICTs in education and training, including in
EE&T, and the AEETAP must encourage the creative
use of ICTs in contexts where this is possible, taking
To expand environmental education and training
in Africa, it is important to give attention to
capacity building or professional development of
environmental educators and trainers. Taking into
account gender equality, there should be adequate
provision made for professional learning interactions,
training of trainers, and participation in professional
environmental education and training networks and
forums so that best practices can be shared, and so
into account gender equality. This means that
environmental educators and trainers must have the
skills necessary to assess which forms of ICT could
best be used for environmental education in different
contexts, and then know how to integrate the use of
these ICTs into their teaching and learning.
that the eld of environmental education and training
can progress and offer the best possible quality of
learning across the system. This also requires research
into environmental education and training and the
sharing of best practice approaches and models
across the continent. Dedicated training programmes
for environmental educators and trainers must be
made available to strengthen the delivery and design
of EE&T programmes.
John Hogg / World Bank

55
CROSSCUTTING ISSUES
4.10 Resources for environmental education
and training
Dedicated resources must be allocated to EE&T
in national government systems of education and
training, and in the environmental sector and via
the private sector. Environmental and social changes
for a more sustainable society are not likely to come
about without a population that is aware and able to
act more sustainably, and this will require dedicated
support for environmental education and training
programmes. Gender dimensions need to be included
in resource allocation and training.
4.11 Concepts and conceptual development
One of the challenging aspects of environmental
education and training is that it deals with many new
concepts and areas of knowledge such as climate
change, biodiversity, ecosystem services, ecosystem-
based adaptation, green economy, renewable energy
and so forth. Thus, there is a need to develop
clear descriptions of the main concepts that are
used in environmental education to facilitate good
understanding of the eld. There is also a need to
consider issues of gender and knowledge progression
in the education and training system. For example,
what one would teach primary school children
about Earth Systems and Climate Change would be
different to what high school learners would focus
on. This may also be different from what university
students would learn about. In addition, there can
be different ways to approaching topics. Climate
change, for example, can be approached from a social
science perspective, or from an earth system science
perspective, or from a philosophical perspective.
Thus, there is need to give attention to not only the
concepts and their meaning, but also knowledge
progression in environmental education and training.
As many of the concepts are new, the issue of
knowledge progression has not yet been dealt with in
depth in many of the education and training systems
in Africa or elsewhere. There is therefore need to
create a knowledge sharing platform for Africa’s
environmental education and training community
where understandings of these concepts and
knowledge progression issues can be discussed.
4.12 Monitoring, evaluation and expanded
learning and practice
Monitoring and evaluation are vitally important for
the development of environmental education and
training in Africa. There is need to monitor what
is being taught and learned, how it is being taught
and learned, why it is being taught and learned, and
how such teaching and learning can be improved.
There is also need to monitor the relevance and
contextualisation aspects of environmental education
and training, as well as capacity and professional
learning aspects. Additionally, there is need for
systemic monitoring and evaluation to judge the
extent of environmental education and training
uptake at national and regional levels. However,
it is also vitally important to monitor the extent
to which environmental education and training is
expanding learning, knowledge, values and practices
for a more sustainable world and for improved
livelihoods, poverty reduction and better quality of
life. Environmental educators and trainers need to
be supported to develop the relevant monitoring
and evaluation capacity to strengthen learning and
practice.

56 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
CHAPTER 5
IMPLEMENTATION
MODALITIES,
MECHANISMS AND
APPROACHES

57
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES
This chapter provides some strategies to ensure
efcient, effective and result oriented implementation
of the environmental education and training
strategies proposed under the different result areas in
the AEETAP.
Presently, there is an increasing disconnection
between educational and environmental management,
which is evident in the formulation of key economic
and social development. The AEETAP will help bridge
this divide by reinforcing the role of environmental
education in policy making and community
management. The Action Plan will be implemented
based on the principles and core values of the African
Union Vison 2063, post-2015 SGD agenda, and it
will complement NEPAD’s Action Plan.
Africa’s Vision 2063 seeks to drive Africa’s
development into an integrated, prosperous and
peaceful continent, driven by its own citizens and
representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
With a vibrant population (70%) of youthful
people under 25 years, there is great need to tap
into African youth to promote innovation through
current environmental education programmes to
actualise this vision: “A global strategy to optimise
use of Africa’s resources for the benets of all
Africans”. Both men and women need to participate
in activities at the grass roots level; research has
shown women are key in propagating practical
changes on the ground.
The AEETAP will also link directly to the AMCEN
Regional Flagship programmes that call for the
implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes, in addition
to complementing NEPAD’s Action Plan.
The role of education in the achievement of the post-
2015 SGDs, since it is a cross-cutting thematic area,
is not only conned to goal 4. It is also essential for
spurring economic growth and social development.
ELRC / Rhodes University

58 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
5.1 Proposed priority pilots within the key
result areas
5.1.1 Teacher capacity building
Education is cross-cutting to the actualisation of all
MDGs and SDGs. The Action Plan will aid in the
development of teacher curricula. This will aid in
the transfer of knowledge and concepts at an early
age (early education and basic education). Teacher
capacity building will also positively contribute to
the actualisation of the role of education in Africa by
developing environmentally sound generation leaders;
by ensuring behaviour change and policy inuence;
developing incubation hubs for innovation; and
ultimately extending impacts – society, community
and culture. Gender-disaggregated data should be
utilised to ensure both male and female teachers are
targeted for the environmental education and training.
In addition, the Action Plan proposes the use of
indigenous knowledge in addressing environmental
concerns, since indigenous people are more aware
of their environments and have stronger attachment
to the living and non-living things around them.
Men and women are impacted differently by
environmental changes and it is useful to work with
both perspectives.
5.1.2 Higher education,
research and innovation
(MESA)
AEETAP will aid in the promotion of university and
teacher education and training on environmental
matters. This will ensure that the continent will be
better placed for translating education into suitable
policies for the integration, prosperity and peace.
The action plan calls for the strengthening of the
MESA platform, through the Association of African
Universities. It will also seek to build and develop
capacity through the sub-regional hubs, educational
programmes and associations such as SARUA and
Green University Networks (Kenya, Uganda, Morocco
and West Africa). AEETAP assimilation will also
showcase and expose African academia to UNEP’s
most recent publications, as a way of promoting
innovation. Student engagement and competition
on various thematic areas such as green energy and
waste management will be promoted, as a means of
promoting African solutions to African problems.
The AEETAP will also call for research on the role of
indigenous knowledge in environmental management.
This will be of high priority since the failure to
document this leads to ‘language extinction’, which
results in the loss of environmental knowledge from
many traditional cultures.
5.1.3 Youth participation in
sustainable development
learning and action
Education is essential in the building of values and
positively impacts on economic growth. It also gives
the population a sense of meaning. For this reason,
the need for African countries and the AU to invest
in education is essential. The AEETAP will help in
sustainable development and learning for the African
ELRC / Rhodes University

59
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES
population, especially since the majority of the
African population is youthful.
5.1.4 Technology enhanced
learning innovation
An innovative approach to technology and capacity
building of the African populace at a young age is
required. The widespread use of the internet and
mobile phones could be used for the dissemination
of environmental education. Technology assisted
learning also needs to be explored. In addition,
the AEETAP calls for the development and
implementation of an African EE MOOC that will
showcase African case studies and solutions.
5.1.5 Leadership development
The Action Plan seeks to build capacity and
knowledge exchange for both men and women
in an Educators and Policy Makers Partnership.
AMCEN and UNEP EETU will act as lead agents
to inform ‘the model’ at other levels. The leadership
programmes will be modelled along the lines of the
Asia-Pacic Leadership Programme on Environment
for Sustainable Development. It will build capacity
and share best practices for emerging leaders from the
African continent on holistic sustainability thinking
and evidence approaches towards effective action;
improve all-round thinking and decision-making
abilities of emerging leaders; and provide a platform
for emerging leaders in Africa to communicate
and network amongst each other while working to
address complex practical sustainable development
challenges. The proposed training, one course to be
held each year, will run alternatively to cater for the
Anglophone and Francophone speaking nations.
The AEETAP will also promote capacity in ecosystem
management through the REDD+ Academy (African
Chapter). The Academy will offer a comprehensive
training course on all aspects of REDD+ (global
climate change mitigation challenge and enable
systematic, focused capacity development to deliver
REDD+ on the ground) for African members of
parliament, environmental journalists, and REDD+
future leaders and practitioners. Participation is by
invitation only and limited to participants from UN-
REDD partner countries. Outcomes of the Academy
will aid in the development and launch of a MOOC.
ELRC / Rhodes University

60 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
5.2 Implementation modalities
5.2.1 Inception meeting
On endorsement of the AEETAP, key stakeholders
envision convening an inception meeting. This
meeting, to be help in partnership with the AU,
will identify sub-regional stakeholders, both men
and women, and hubs for the mainstreaming of the
Action Plan. The inception meeting will clarify the
following:
Baseline study
A baseline study on formal education systems in
Africa, the environmental education programmes,
institutions and educators will be conducted. The
baseline studies will contribute to reecting AMCEN
priorities in educational policies and curricula;
developing and distributing guidelines to ensure
that Quality Assurance (QA) systems (i.e. national
standards) and policies include environmental
education and education for sustainable development
(EE/ESD) concerns that are aligned with AMCEN
priorities. Gender-disaggregated data will be collected
and used to ensure equal participation of both males
and females.
Funding proposals
UNEP-EETU, in collaboration with partners, will
develop specic proposals for funding to national
governments, regional and development partners
including development banks. The proposals will
primarily focus on environmental and sustainability
research, especially green economy, technology and
urbanisation, and need to include gender-based
initiatives.
Grants and scholarship programmes will also be
encouraged that develop South-South cooperation to
address the environmental challenges and emerging
issues that plague the continent. The scholarships
would be modelled along the lines of sandwich
programmes that will be held in China and Africa.
A blend of Chinese and African students, both men
and women, as a means of sharing experiences is
proposed.
As a living document, the AEETAP will be updated
periodically. Following the inception workshop, a
mid-term review will be held in 2020 and a nal
review held in 2024. These reviews will offer essential
platforms for sharing ideas in strengthening and
meeting the intended outcomes of the action plan. Bi-
annual reports will also be shared with stakeholders,
as modes of feedback.
Thematic focus approach
Stakeholders need to establish a thematically focussed
approach. The following need to be considered:
u Systemic approach (formal, non-formal,
capacity building, networking);
u Best Practices and expand on existing
momentum and structures (an enabling
approach);
u Partnership approach;
u South-South co-operation;
u Communities of Practice development;
u Research;
u Monitoring and evaluation; and
M. Disdero / Wikimedia

61
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES
u Infrastructure – universities / MESA focal has
‘knowledge hubs’ that can support the EE&T
strategy implementation.
Additional key points
In addition to the themes and approaches listed
above, the following key points also need to be
considered:
u Accountability and realistic targets – AMCEN;
u Organogram: GUPES, MESA etc.;
u Starting point: Sustainability and Poverty
Reduction;
u Civil society involvement;
u Gender and women in rural areas;
u Technology access;
u Articulation and capturing of best practices
needs to be strengthened – show how
universities are acting as ‘hubs’;
u Sub-regional analysis of critical issues;
u What M&E is in place for AMCEN
declarations;
u UNEP / UNESCO partnership, UNESCO
virtual campuses;
u Where research is placed in the action plan;
u Sustainable funding system for the EE&T
Action Plan; and
u A realistic, but ambitious focus on practices.
5.2.2 Overview of
recommendations for
implementation of key result
areas
Table 5.1 overleaf considers and summarises some
recommendations for implementation of key result
areas from the Addis Ababa meeting.
Arne Hoel / World Bank

62 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
Key
Result
Area
Initial scoping of some initiatives that can be expanded/scaled up
1
u MESA and GUPES networks, programmes and outcomes to date including the ESD Innovations Toolkit
u AFRITIEIS, SADC REEP and UNESCO Teacher Education Network and Training Programmes for ESD
u MESA/UNEP/Natura International Training Programme for ESD in Formal Education and Higher Education
u UNICEF Climate Change Programme for young children
u UNESCO Schools Programmes and TTSSA teacher education resourcing network
u Fundisa for Change Teacher Education network and Community of Practice in Southern Africa – supported by
SWEDESD
u SARUA Knowledge co-production framework on universities and climate compatible development
u Eco-Schools programmes in dierent African countries (Kenya, Namibia, South Africa)
u Regional Teacher Education Programmes – University of Zambia; University of Botswana; Rhodes University, etc.
This list will need to be expanded in the scoping phase.
2
u UNESCO/UNEVOC programmes and initiatives and their expansion into African TVET systems
u UNEP Sustainable Production and Consumption and Industry Environmental Programmes and initiatives
u Other sustainable production, cleaner production, green economy and sustainable consumption networks (e.g.
PERL network)
u UNESCO’s GREEN T VET initiative
u UNIDO/GIZ/World Skills Foundation: ‘Green Industrial Skills for Sustainable Development. Risks and Challenges for
Least Developed Countries’ Conference outcomes
u ILO reports on Green Economy Skills
u South African ‘Human Capacity Development (HCD) Initiative for Promoting Green Skills Development in Green FET
Colleges in South Africa’ (GIZ – includes use of an e-learning training programme for college lecturers)
u GIZ funded vocational school network
u GIZ publications on Green TVET for Green Economy
u South African FET Colleges network on Green Colleges for Green Economy
u Kenya School of Government ESD programme and others
u South African Public Services SETA programmes on Green Economy and Green Skills for green economy
transitioning
u Various Local Government Sustainable Development Training Programmes and Initiatives
u Parliamentarian training programmes (UNEP)
u Sustainability Leadership programme (WWF-SA)
3
u UNESCO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNDP and other UN linked Adult Education Programmes in priority SD areas
u PROLINOVA and other forms of agricultural innovation training for social innovation in agriculture
u National and international NGO programmes and activities (e.g. WWF and others)
u Highway Africa Journalism conference and training UNEP environmental journalism training
u YES programmes
u Youth networks (various)
u Activate youth development network
4
u UNEP Mentor programme
u Postgraduate Environmental Education and Training Programmes (e.g. Rhodes University, University of Botswana,
Kenyatta University and others – need to audit these)
u SADC REEP ESD Leadership Training Programme for EE&T ‘champions/leaders’
u Eye on Earth Initiative
u EEASA and MESA networks
u HOAREC
u SADC REEP Community of Practice
Table 5.1 Some recommendations for implementation of key result areas from the Addis Ababa meeting

63
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES
CONCLUSION

64 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
This Environmental Education and Training Action
Plan has been developed to strengthen sustainable
development in Africa. Focussed on specic ways
of using education, training and social learning
to strengthen and expand the AMCEN Regional
Flagship Programmes, the document also provides
mechanisms for implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals, and the AU’s Vision 2063 which
sets out a wider strategic and Africa-centred approach
to sustainable development for the continent.
Education, training and social learning cannot be
separate goals to achieve sustainable development.
Importantly, environmental education must play
its part in strengthening sustainable development.
Environmental education, as represented in this
Action Plan, is therefore not seen as separate from or
different to education for sustainable development,
Africa’s Vision 2063 pathway, and the AMCEN
agenda. All are interlinked. To involve Africa’s people,
men and women working together in achieving these
goals, investments must be made in environmental
education and training for sustainable development.
This action plan can guide the prioritisation of such
investments at national government levels, amongst
regional economic communities, and in international
co-operation discussions.
Dominic Chavez / World Bank

65
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES, MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES
ANNEX
EE&T KEY RESULT
AREA GOALS AND
ACTIVITIES

66 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
Strategic
Priorities Activities * Verication †
Enhance EE in all
levels of formal
education through
policy and quality
assurance systems
u Conduct baseline assessment on the extent of national EE and ESD programmes.
u Develop and distribute guidelines to on EE Quality Assurance.
a) Baseline assessment report;
guidelines distributed;
b) Evidence of use of guidelines
to change policy and
practice.
Support
curriculum
innovations
u Develop guidelines for curriculum innovation that includes environment and
sustainability concerns for various levels of the formal education and training
systems.
u Hold national curriculum development workshops with curriculum development
centres and policy makers on innovation issues relevant to environment and
sustainability education.
a) Curriculum innovation
guidelines;
b) Evidence of curriculum
innovations supported by
guidelines and professional
development programmes.
Mainstream ESD
concerns into
teacher education
u Conduct national baseline assessment on the extent to which teacher education
programmes address EE/ ESD theory and practice.
u Develop national teacher education programme for all forms of teacher education.
a) Baseline assessment report;
b) Number of teacher
education institutions
mainstreaming environment
and sustainability issues;
c) Number of teachers trained
in environment and
sustainability education.
Mainstream
environment and
sustainability
education in HEIs
u Conduct baseline assessment on extent universities are mainstreaming environment
and sustainability through teaching, research, community engagement and campus
management activities.
u Expand the Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in African Universities
(MESA) Partnership programme to more universities in Africa.
u Deepen and expand existing mainstreaming practices in MESA universities.
u Support new programme development at diploma, degree and postgraduate levels.
u Strengthen and support student organisations working on environment and
sustainability issues on campuses, and create networking platforms.
u Develop and support MESA universities to use sustainability assessments and
institute sustainability reporting initiatives aligned with AMCEN priorities, and African
university campus realities.
a) Number of MESA universities;
b) Types and results
of mainstreaming
interventions;
c) Numbers of new courses and
graduates of these courses;
d) Sustainability reports and
results from universities.
Professional
development (PD)
of educators
u Establish the range and scope of available professional development programmes for
educators and their alignment with AMCEN priorities.
u Develop a ‘agship’ training programme for ongoing professional development of
educators (ToTs), including university educators, educational ocials (e.g. curriculum
developers), and teacher educators drawing on knowledge of existing ‘best practices’
of change oriented learning (e.g. SADC REEP / ITP Change Project model) in this area
and align these with AMCEN priorities.
a) Review of PD programmes;
b) Numbers of professional
educators trained;
c) Educational change projects
implemented by professional
educators showing changes
in practice.
Contextualise and
develop learning
materials
u Establish a professional development e-learning platform that makes relevant
materials available for use in African contexts, and supports educators to
contextualise materials to national and local contexts.
u Make new research knowledge available in accessible format for use in educational
programmes and project through this portal/e-learning platform.
u Train key educators and educational networks to use the portal/platform where
experience of contextualising and developing materials can be shared.
a) Use of e-learning platform
and numbers and quality of
materials exchanged and
developed via the platform.
Grants and
scholarship
programme
to promote
environmental
and
environmental
education
research
u Promote research on EE/ ESD issues in formal education to ensure continuing
development and renewal of thinking and approaches in these areas.
u Develop a core research programme on ICT-enhanced EE/ESD approaches to inform
upscaling of EE/ESD initiatives in formal education and other learning settings.
u Establish and maintain a grant and scholarship programme for EE&T and AMCEN RFP
research areas.
u Develop an alumni system for grant and scholarship holders linked to the MESA
programme, and regional and sub-regional networks.
a) Number of research projects;
b) Evidence of how research
is changing practices,
especially in ICT use;
c) Existence of grant scheme;
d) Annual applications;
completed studies;
e) Alumni par ticipation in
networks.
* Gender considerations need to be taken into account in all activities.
† Gender analysis and gender disaggregated data need to indicate whether interventions are working for both men and women.
Key Result Area 1: Formal Education

67
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA GOALS AND ACTIVITIES
Strategic
Priorities Activities * Verication †
Promote
demonstration
learning
environments for
green TVETs
u Support and establish Green Economy Conversion Centres, workplace environmental
practices and viable demonstration facilities and practical opportunities for youth
empowerment.
u Expand partnerships with business and industry to supply and support the
establishment of model demonstration sites within TVET campuses.
u Support the greening of institutional practices, and adoption of green economy
principles.
a) Numbers of Green Economy
Conversion Centres and
demonstration sites used for
TVET learning;
b) Green campus and Green
Economy reporting in TVET
centres.
Establish
competence-
based models for
green TVET
u Develop competence-based approaches to sustainable development / green sector
career pathways development.
u Develop a stratied approach to competence based models for TVET and ensure
learning pathway alignment and relevant forms of articulation between TVET
colleges and HEIs.
u Train TVET curriculum developers on green TVET approaches, issues and learning
pathways to ensure coherence and progression in TVET approaches.
a) Quality and quantity of
Green TVET programmes
based on competence-based
models;
b) Availability of viable Green
Economy / TVET learning
pathways.
Promote and
support career
guidance and
pathing
u Review existing initiatives that promote Green Career Guidance and Career Pathing in
Africa and review them in relation to AMCEN priorities framework.
u Make available and develop new ‘Green Career’ guidance materials for youth in Africa.
u Identify Green Economy / Green Career role models, both men and women, and
include them on the Green Careers portal to model successful Green Economy /
Green Career opportunities on the African continent.
u Train Career Guidance Facilitators in Green Career Guidance and in how to make use
of the portal.
a) Green career guidance
initiatives report; options
available on the portal;
b) Use of, and participation in
the portal;
c) Numbers of trained teachers.
Train TVET
college lecturers
and curriculum
developers
u Develop a baseline analysis of existing Green TVET lecturer / curriculum development
initiatives in the African continent.
u Establish a Green TVET and Green Economy ToTs programme for TVET college
lecturers and curriculum developers focussing skills development planning,
curriculum development and training.
a) Green TVET Training of
Trainers and curriculum;
b) Developers review;
c) Green TVET ToT programme
and change project
outcomes.
Train government
ocials, decision
makers
u Integrate the AMCEN priorities into curriculum and programme development
and ToTs programmes for Schools of Government / Public Management Training
Programmes.
u Support environmental / ESD curriculum development and curriculum innovations
in Schools of Government / Public Management Training Programmes and other
institutions with primary responsibility for training government ocials.
u Develop a network and communications structure to facilitate ongoing
environmental/ SD policy information communication into Schools of Government /
Public Management Training Programmes and their ToT programmes.
a) Level of integration of
AMCEN and SD priorities
into government training
programmes and curricula;
b) Capacity of lecturers to work
on SD issues in schools of
government; information
communication system use.
State investment
in green TVET
facilities and
programmes, and
public private
partnerships
u Conduct a baseline study on the scope of state investment in TVET programmes and
facilities.
u Develop more private-public partnership platforms for Green TVET programmes and
facilities in key AMCEN priority areas.
u Establish national and regional communications and policy briefs oriented to
strengthening state investment in Green TVET programmes and facilities; and
expanding public-private partnerships for Green TVET programmes and facilities
development.
u Strengthen public private partnerships for EE&T capacity building at all levels of the
TVET and government training system through country-based and regional platforms
a) Baseline data report on the
extent to which the state
is investing in Green TVET
programmes and facilities;
b) Available platforms (old and
new) in use;
c) Outcomes of the
programmes.
Policy information
communication
u Develop an innovative, attractive and highly visible networked learning system for
policy information communication.
u Integrate the use of this network into all ToTs programmes to facilitate wider uptake
and use at all levels of the political decision making system.
* Gender considerations need to be taken into account in all activities.
† Gender analysis and gender disaggregated data need to indicate whether interventions are working for both men and women.
Key Result Area 2: Vocational Education and Training and Training
of Government Ocials

68 AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTION PLAN
Strategic
Priorities Activities * Verication †
Adult learning u Conduct a baseline analysis of existing Adult Education and Training curricula
programmes and where key areas of expertise lie.
u Integrate EE&T approaches and strategies into Adult Education and Training curricula
and programmes to address key priority areas of AMCEN.
u Implement a ToTs Programme for adult educators and planners of Open and
Distance Education to integrate environment and sustainability issues into existing
ODL programmes and courses.
u Integrate EE&T priorities into workplace upskilling programmes in key institutions.
a) Number of Adult Education
and Training curricula
programmes.
NGO, CBO, FBO
environmental
organisation,
government
extension and
public health
learning
partnership
programme
u Conduct baseline assessment on how environmental organisations are
mainstreaming AMCEN priorities into their practices and work more eectively with
government extension and public health partners.
u Develop a framework and guidelines on how environmental organisations can
strengthen partnerships and links with government and extension and public
health programmes to mainstream AMCEN priorities, and to upscale best practices,
examples of practice that work and models of change.
u Establish a suitable e-learning platform where examples of best practice and
networked learning can occur across countries focussing on this strategic action.
u Integrate use of this platform into all ToTs Programmes to facilitate uptake and use of
the platform at country and at local levels.
a) Existence of partnerships and
health services promoting
learning and new practices
associated with the AMCEN
priorities;
b) Use of e-learning platform
and integration of concepts
and approaches into training
programmes.
Indigenous
knowledge and
learning for
sustainability
u Analyse, evaluate and capture relevant indigenous knowledge to inform and
strengthen sustainable development practices for present and future well-being on
the African continent, and in relation to key AMCEN priority areas.
u Mobilise and link indigenous knowledge and other forms of scientic knowledge
through participatory learning approaches.
u Create mechanisms for the publication and sharing of indigenous knowledge and
associated learning processes for sustainability.
u Integrate knowledge of how to analyse, evaluate and capture IK to inform and
strengthen SD into all Training of Trainers programmes to enhance uptake and use of
such approaches in education and training systems.
a) Captured IK and evidence
of use of IK in training
programmes, and related
changed practices.
Small grant
system for social
innovation
through EE&T
u Establish a small grant fund and system for supporting the development of
innovative approaches to EE&T.
u Further the goals of social innovation for sustainability on the African continent, and
lifelong learning on the African continent.
a) Availability and use of small
grant system;
b) Innovations emerging from
small grant system.
* Gender considerations need to be taken into account in all activities.
† Gender analysis and gender disaggregated data need to indicate whether interventions are working for both men and women.
Key Result Area 3: Lifelong Learning, Youth Development and
Community Education

69
EE&T KEY RESULT AREA GOALS AND ACTIVITIES
Strategic
Priorities Activities * Verication †
Media, social
media and social
learning and
e-learning capacity
development
u Conduct a baseline assessment on the extent to which, and the manner in which
the dierent types of media (social media, e-learning and social learning approaches
are currently being used for EE&T in Africa.
u Identify examples of innovative practice that can be upscaled and expanded;
u Develop a ToT programme/module for EE&T to develop capacity for, and share
knowledge of EE&T programmes and platforms using media, social media, mobile
learning and other enhanced approaches to learning.
u Develop a ToT programme/module capacity building programme focussing on use
of e-learning and technology enhanced learning approaches, with strategies on
assessment and evaluating its outcomes.
u Form networks and partnerships with private sector organisations that have
innovative e-learning, media, social media and social learning technologies for
environment and sustainability education and learning.
a) Baseline assessment;
b) Evidence of use of media and
social learning approaches
in EE&T programmes;
c) Evidence of partnerships for
innovation.
Network building
and support
u Identify existing networks aligned with the AMCEN priorities and the KRAs; clarify
their potential roles and contributions for strengthening EE&T and action.
u Assess capacity gaps within these networks and where their practices can be
expanded and upscaled.
u Strengthen and expand existing networks identied above with appropriate and
relevant ‘catalytic’ support, including training and capacity building.
u Develop guidelines for network sustainability and functioning based on experiences
and the baseline analysis that can be shared amongst partner networks, with
M&E tools to monitor ongoing outcomes and strength of networks and network
functioning.
u Strengthen South-South networking with specically funded interventions, and also
potentially through a small grant system that strengthens South-South networking.
a) Existence of networks for
EE&T;
b) Expansion of networks and
networking capacity;
c) Sustainability of networks;
d) Expanded number of South-
South networks for EE&T.
Mentorship
and leadership
programme
u Develop a mentorship programme for out-of-school youth to become actively
engaged in environmental and sustainability related citizen and green economy
activities; and
u Strengthen community leadership in key community organisations for environment
and sustainability education activities focussing on AMCEN priority areas.
a) Development of mentorship
programmes;
b) Numbers of youth mentored
into the sector;
c) Strengthened community
leadership for EE&T.
Donor and research
organisation
involvement
u Engage with donor and research organisations to include EE&T in their policies, calls
for programmes and criteria; and
u Share research and practice outcomes and insights with them, and the impact
(immediate and catalytic) of environmental education and training interventions,
based on M&E data.
a) Increased donor and
research organisations
participating in EE&T.
Capacity to
build capacity:
EE innovation,
infrastructure and
leadership
u Develop a focussed Africa-wide Environmental Education and Training International
Certicate Course for the key ‘leaders’ in all of the programmes associated with the
KRAs of the Action Plan;
u Develop an e-learning platform for sharing innovation in EE&T amongst
organisations and practitioners that are leading and or contributing to the
implementation of the Action Plan;
u Support Masters and PhD level studies in EE&T to develop leadership for the eld of
environmental education and training and to resource the African EE&T Action Plan
with innovations in Environmental Education and Training;
u Support the emergence of more EE&T ‘champions’ within the various key result
areas of the EE&T Action Plan, and facilitate international / South-South leadership
cooperation and knowledge exchange.
a) Highly trained, professional
network of environmental
educators / ‘champions’
exists;
b) Access to postgraduate study
and leadership capacity
development;
c) Networked links to
international environmental
education and training
professionals.
* Gender considerations need to be taken into account in all activities.
† Gender analysis and gender disaggregated data need to indicate whether interventions are working for both men and women.
Key Result Area 4: Capacity Building, Networking and Social
Learning