Six Principles to advance TVET for sustainable development

It can be difficult to understand our current position and progress in terms of sustainable development in education. The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) offer a useful approach to gauge this progress, and a lot of data has been collected to support this. The 17 SDGs have over 150 associated targets, and progress is regularly reported by the United Nations. Additionally, there are many examples of good practices being shared and implemented to support SDG4, which focuses on providing inclusive and equitable education to all.

However, it can also be argued that the targets do not cover all aspects of sustainability equally well, and the relationship between the targets and overall objectives of SDG4 is not always clear. Different countries approach sustainability in different ways, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. With that in mind, there are six guiding principles related to curriculum, pedagogy, and philosophy that should be taken into account to achieve sustainable development in vocational education and training.