UEW, Millennium Promise Alliance sign MoU to develop curriculum on SDGs

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and the Millennium Promise Alliance (MPA), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a curriculum that will help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project, which will go on a pilot for one year, is dubbed the “Global Schools Programme”.

A comprehensive curriculum on the SDGs will be developed, from which pupils from the basic up to the tertiary level will be taught in order for them to become fully equipped and knowledgeable in the ways of attaining the SDGs.

The SDGs, which are the blueprint to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all, were set by the UN General Assembly in 2015 and have 10 years left to reach their 2030 deadline.

Countries around the world are using the SDGs to address challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Details

The MPA, in partnership with the UEW, is representing Ghana on the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Youth Initiative.

The project will facilitate the development of a curriculum framework to integrate all the 17 SDGs and targets tertiary education in Ghana through teaching and learning on all campuses of the UEW.

Additionally, both institutions will build on their comparative strengths and engage in policy research, analysis and advocacy, especially in the areas related to sustainable development.

Furthermore, the UEW will collaborate with the MPA to develop an SDG-based programme for students, NGOs, executive directors and government officials.

The project is being implemented in Morocco and Turkey too.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the UEW Council Chamber last Tuesday, the Executive Director of the MPA, Mr Nathaniel Ebo Nsarko, said it was important that Ghanaians, especially students, understood the details of the SDGs in order to collectively work towards attaining them for the benefit of all.

He said the UEW would train students to understand and appreciate the need to assist the government to implement the SDGs.

He indicated that a blueprint to be developed at the end of the project would assist other tertiary institutions to come up with further academic programmes that would advance the cause of meeting the goals.

Mr Nsarko was hopeful that the UEW would come up with a curriculum on the SDGs that would go a long way to fast-track their attainment by 2030.

Synchronise academic programmes

The Vice-Chancellor of the UEW, Rev. Fr Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, said it was important for universities to synchronise their academic programmes with the activities of social groups and civil society organisations (CSOs).

He said the UEW was ready to work with the MPA to ensure that Ghana met the SDGs by the stipulated period.

“It will be in Ghana’s interest to achieve the SDGs in order to improve the living standards of the people,” he said.

Prof. Afful-Broni added that as a teacher education institution, the UEW was prominently positioned to enlighten students on the socio-economic changes taking place in the country.

Present at the ceremony were the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the UEW, Prof, Andrew Ofori-Birikorang; the Registrar, Mr Paul Osei-Barimah; the Dean of the Faculty of Science Education, Prof. Ruby Hanson; the Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages Education and Communication, Dr Christiana Hammond, as well as some officials of the MPA.