Development Education in School Curricula in Europe: Global Challenge for Estonian Schools

Abstract

This paper examines the position of Development Education (DE) or Global Education (GE) in the Estonian formal education and presents a survey on the status of DE in school curricula in countries of the European Union (DEEEP, 2006 & 2009). The survey was conducted by the Curriculum Working group of the Development Education Forum (DEF) of CONCORD [1] through national Non-Governmental Organisation platforms and networks working for the promotion of DE/GE in the different member states of the EU. The results of the study give a wealth of information about similarities and differences in the status, practice, and support for DE in the education sector in different nation states of the European Union, Estonia among the new member states. The survey and a look at the Estonian situation indicate a range of current priority issues for DE, and provide insights into the problems and weaknesses of an overloaded national school system struggling to keep up with contemporary global events and challenges. The paper is written from the perspective of an NGO offering support to teachers and schools in global education. Although education is not the core field of activity for most NGOs, many antecedents of global education – human rights education, environmental education, intercultural education etc. – are rooted in civil society movements and organisations. There is a long tradition of NGOs working with the formal education sector. In new member states of the EU the potential of NGOs in this field are further strengthened through the involvement in European level networks (like DEF) and European level funding (through European Commission/EuropeAid) and improved coordination in the national level (like through the Estonian Roundtable for Development Cooperation).