Educational Theory and Sustainable Education Essay

Educational Theory and Sustainable Education - Essay Example Sustainability problem was first highlighted by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 (the Brundtland Commission). In 1992 the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janiero popularised this term. The emphasis was placed on the integration of thinking and action around ecological, social, political and economic systems. (Educating for a Sustainable Future, 2005) There are two currents which explain the interest in sustainability in the developed world. The first is the economisation of society or ‘finding economic values or indicators for economic and social phenomena.’ The second concerns a revaluation of nature, its transformation into a thing to be managed and controlled. These two currents are represented in ‘sustainable development’ term which exhibits a human desire to dominate over nature and a contradicting, ultimate dependence on its resources. There are many interpretations of sustainability which r equire critical assessment as they serve different social and economic interests. One group focuses on â€Å"sustainable economic growth†, the other – on â€Å"sustainable human development†. The first group does not support the idea of transformation of current social or economic systems while the second calls for a departure from current systems. Education was viewed as the â€Å"greatest resource† to achieve ecological society. Many major international reports see education as a source for sustainable living.

Vietnam and Philippines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vietnam and Philippines - Essay Example While the political elites in the country may not have wished to share their authority and command with other leaders and the populace, this situation was necessitated by the states experience of near starvation in the 80s - a situation that demanded that the political leadership open up to other interest groups for the country’s survival. Philippines on the other hand has a weak state that is characterized by weak social institutions and personalistic presidential politics. The national and central government has massive control over the public and private sectors with power entrenched in oligarchs, their families, and their cronies. Generally, the centralization of government in Philippines has led the country to be less competitive as oligarchs and clans retain control over resources. Even though electoral democracy exists in the Philippines, the country continues to witness systemic corruption and limited economic growth compared to Vietnam which has an authoritarian government. This is the case with the Philippines considering that the social institutions and government bodies that are charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption and putting the government on check are dominated by different clans and oligarchs who are keen on protecting their interests as opposed to performing their duties. The power that the oligarchs, their families, and their cronies wield together with the personalistic politics that characterize the country have seen corruption thrive in the Philippines. This is not the case in Vietnam where the government is decentralized, political leaders have responsibility to their constituents, and provinces have the power to control what is done at the state