RCEs in Kenya: Engaging policy for sustainable development

1. RCEs in Kenya: Engaging policy for sustainable development By Dr Ayub Macharia NEMA-Kenya

2. Presentation outline • ESD Policy development • Legislation • Sustainability targets • Role of RCEs • Challenges • How challenges are being addressed • Conclusion

3. Kenya constitution 2010 • Chapter 2 Article 10 (2d) identifies sustainable development as a national value to be mainstreamed • Chapter 4 article 42 – Bill of Rights – Right of every person to a clean and healthy environment • This provision gives education a bigger opportunity to focus on ESD • Any reforms in education sector are anchored on the Kenya Constitution 2010

4. Policy Legislation • Sessional paper No 14 of 2012 – Reforming education and training sector in Kenya” has rationalized delivery of education in Kenya including passage of relevant Acts by parliament • Environment policy being finalized

5. National ESD Policy • The National ESD Policy was validated by stakeholders in March 2012 • Draft ESD policy was tabled to the National Environment Council on 1st November 2013 • Next step – Approval by cabinet and Parliament

6. Legislation • Section 5 of Basic Education Act establishes the National Education Board as an advisory body for the Cabinet secretary on education matters • NEB was appointed in August 2013 • Section 42 d of the Basic Education Act stipulates that the NEB should prescribe to the Cabinet Secretary Environmental Protection Education for Sustainable Development

7. Education Sector - ESD Implementation initiatives • Institutional ESD policies done for Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT), & Pwani University • Establishment of ESD coordination desk in MOEST, Department of Education in the Directorate of Policy • The Ministry of Education has also entrenched ESD in the National Education Support Programme (NESSP) to be implemented in five years (2012 – 2018). • KICD currently working on draft curriculum developers orientation manual jointly with NEMA and Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

8. National Education Sector Support Programme • National Education Sector Support Programme (NESSP) being finalized and ESD is one of the investment programme under crosscutting issues to be implemented from 2013-2017 • Priorities – customization of National ESD policy, review of curricula to realign with the constitution and mainstream ESD

9. Sustainability targets • It’s a national policy that all public institutions must implement sustainability targets • NEMA tasked with role of developing the targets, evaluating and reporting to central government • NEMA reports to Office of the President every quarter • NEMA builds the capacity of these institutions to mainstream and implement environmental sustainability targets

10. ESD strategy • Kenya developed an ESD strategy in 2007 to guide all ESD interventions • ESD captured in Vision 2030 • MTP1 of Vision 2030 committed to develop an ESD policy and curricula at all levels to be reoriented to ESD • Vision 2030 MTP2 plans to have the curriculum changed to mainstream the constitution • National ESD steering committee in place

11. Engaging policy makers • Sensitization meetings held for • senior staff of 22 Ministries and • senior staff and senates of most universities in Kenya • Sensitization meetings on ESD for school teachers in collaboration with other institutions such as African Fund for Endangered Wildlife – Kenya (AFEW-K) • Production of reference materials such as Religious ESD Toolkit by KOEE, ESD Education pack for schools by AFEW-K • Media engagement is still very low

12. Engaging policy makers • 8th Global RCE conference • Governors forum • Commission for University Education Forum • Vice Chancellors forum • Purpose – Further engage the policy makers on ESD

13. Role of RCEs • A lot of synergies exist in mandatory activities done by public institutions in RCEs • Opportunity for develop major programme based on mandatory mandate • Funds allocated could be optimized if synergies harnessed e.g tree planting, • Big picture outlook encouraged

14. ESD Projects • Several ESD projects being undertaken with RCEs such as • RCE Mau on climate change education • RCE Greater Pwani on Biodiversity using Botanical Garden • RCE Greater Nairobi on solid waste management • Eco – Schools (Whole Institutions Approach) by KOEE • ESD Demonstration centres at Nairobi Primary Sch, Jamhuri high school and City Primary school,- Nairobi

15. ESD projects contd • Green points – 2 already constructed and 3 to be finalized this year. Provide exhibition space and community centre to showcase best practices in ESD • Green points to be ESD enterprise incubation centres • Replicate best practices

16. Key challenges • Concept of ESD not fully understood • Very few ESD experts • Lack of ESD learning materials especially in formal and non-formal level • Current curriculum is exam oriented and overloaded • No pre-service and in-service of teachers on ESD • Little ESD research being undertaken especially PAR • Inadequate resources – funds, experts • Inadequate dissemination of innovations and findings • Use of ICT to enhance ESD is minimal • M&E tool not well understood due to inadequate capacity

17. Challenges cont’d • Thinking globally and acting locally • Linkage with government and private sector initiatives • RCE action plans

18. How NEMA addresses the challenges • Devolved contact persons from NEMA • National RCE network • Capturing RCE activities in NEMA workplans • Meeting with RCE coordinators • Capacity building and mentoring for upcoming RCEs • Funding some RCE activities e.g. botanic garden, solid waste project, climate change project

19. Interventions cont’d • Annual RCE conference • Roping in of policy makers and other project initiatives to RCE activities • Quarterly monitoring and evaluation by NEMA

20. Future prospects towardsESD • Adoption of ESD Policy by Cabinet & Parliament • Review of Curricula • Contextualization of ESD at County Level • ESD engagement agenda post 2014

21. Conclusion • Policy framework is available to support ESD development in Kenya • RCEs have not harnessed synergies within their regional contexts • Need for enhanced policy engagement

22. Thank you