Education for disaster risk reduction: SEAMEO - Japan education for sustainable development award - call for entries

Submission deadline: 10 August 2012

Background

In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 57/254 and declared the period 2005-2014 as the “United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” (DESD) and made UNESCO the lead agency in coordinating and promoting the implementation of the decade.

According to the United Nations General Assembly Headquarters in New York on 1 March 2005, ESD is defined as a “dynamic and expansive undertaking that envisions a world where every person has the chance to benefit from educational opportunities and to learn the lifestyles, behaviors and values necessary to create a sustainable future.”

A series of regional and national DESD launches followed the declaration in different parts of the world. The DESD offers an opportunity to promote the vision of a more sustainable and just global community through different forms of education that enable individuals to develop the understanding, knowledge, skills and values necessary to improve the quality of life in a sustainable manner. ESD consists of three pillars of sustainable development: society; environment; and economy. The perspectives of ESD under each pillar are as follows:

Socio-Cultural perspectives: human rights, peace and human security, gender equality, cultural diversity and intercultural understanding, health, HIV/AIDS and governance.
Environmental perspectives: natural resources, biodiversity, climate change, rural transformation, sustainable urbanization, and education for disaster risk reduction and mitigation.
Economic perspectives: poverty reduction, corporate responsibility and accountability, and market economy.

In support of the DESD, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT) in cooperation with UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. are pleased to announce the launch of the SEAMEO-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award. The award will be held every year from 2012 to 2014 to promote and share best practices in ESD in schools across Southeast Asia.

The objectives of the SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award are:

To raise awareness of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in schools and communities across Southeast Asia;
To promote ESD best practices in schools and communities across Southeast Asia;
To share and exchange knowledge and best practices on ESD in schools across Southeast Asia and Japan; and
To encourage networking among schools and communities which implement ESD practices in both Southeast Asian countries and Japan.

Theme for 2012: Education for Disaster Risk Reduction

Each year, the award will be organized under a new theme that highlights the emerging issues in the region which are related to Education for Sustainable Development.

Due to recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, landslides, droughts, cyclones and storms that have caused massive destruction, including the loss of lives and a devastating effect on communities in Japan and in Southeast Asian countries, the organizers agreed to organize the very first award under the theme of “Education for Disaster Risk Reduction”. This year’s theme aims:

To raise awareness of Education for Disaster Risk Reduction among schools and communities in Southeast Asia;
To promote and share best practices of Education for Disaster Risk Reduction within schools and communities in Southeast Asia; and
To prepare schools and communities in Southeast Asia plan strategies that reduce risk and losses caused by natural disasters.

All schools in Southeast Asian countries are invited to enter the competition

All public and private schools in the 11 SEAMEO Member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam are invited to submit best practices on reducing risk and loss from natural disasters.

Prizes for the winning schools

1) 1st Prize

US$1,500
A study tour to Japan for four days
(The organizer will sponsor the travel expenses for 4-6 persons which includes roundtrip airfares, accommodation for 3 nights, domestic transportation in Japan, interpreter, and visa fees)

2) 2nd Prize

US$1,000

3) 3rd Prize

US$500

4) A special prize from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. for the best Disaster Risk Reduction activity carried out in small schools of less than 150 students

US$1,000

All winning schools will receive a plaque of recognition and a certificate for teachers and students involved in planning and implementing the Disaster Risk Reduction programme.

A representative of the winning schools will be sponsored to participate in the award presentation ceremony which will be held at the SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in November 2012 in Thailand.

All participating schools that have submitted entries relevant to the theme will be recognized (name, project name and country) on the SEAMEO website and the winning schools’ details will also be posted on the SEAMEO Website.

Judging criteria

The judging committee will consider the following criteria in selecting the winning schools:

1. Innovation and creativity

The school team has developed innovative activities for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The entry is a new idea/concept or an improved/adapted version of an existing activity, implemented by the school.

2. Strategy/ modality of implementation

Education for Disaster Risk Reduction is incorporated in the school management plan and policy.
Goals/ objectives of Disaster Risk Reduction are clearly stated in the plan.
Appropriate and effective methods and resources are used to promote the Disaster Risk Reduction to teachers, students and communities.
Disaster Risk Reduction is integrated into the curriculum or teaching and learning activities
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are clearly stated as part of the activity/plan.

3. Reliability

Results, after implementing the activity/plan, have shown the effectiveness and benefits of the Disaster Risk Reduction activity/ programme.
Monitoring and evaluation of the plan or activities verifies the reliability.

4. Sustainability

The school has received support from stakeholders, local government and communities such as financial or in-kind support.
The school has a plan to sustain the Disaster Risk Reduction activity/ programme of the school.
The school has fully integrated the Disaster Risk Reduction activity and plan in the school management plan and teaching and learning activities across subjects for long-term actions.

5. Impact

Results of the evaluation have shown benefits that the teachers/students/communities gained from the implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction activity/plan.
The Disaster Risk Reduction activity/plan has changed the attitude and behavior of students/ teachers and communities.

6. Applicability

The Disaster Risk Reduction activity/plan can be applied or replicated in other communities and with other natural disasters.

The judging committee

The Judging Committee consists of experts in the areas of education, Education for Sustainable Development and Education for Disaster Risk Reduction from Japan and Southeast Asian region. The decision of the Judging Committee shall be final and unappealable.

Guidelines for submission of entries

Schools must ensure that the SEAMEO Secretariat receives their entries by 10 August 2012.
Each school can submit up to a maximum of two entries (1 submission form for each entry).
The submission of the school Disaster Risk Reduction activity/programme must be done through the template “Submission Form of SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award”.
Information on the school’s activity/programme and photo captions must be in English.
Teaching and learning materials, manuals, and student worksheets can be submitted in PDF format or in the original copy. The teaching and learning materials can be in local language; however a brief translation in English should be included.
All submissions should include related photos.
Schools can submit the “Submission Form of SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award” and materials by

a) Email: [email protected] and/or
b) Post to:

SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award
SEAMEO Secretariat
920 Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey District,
Bangkok 10110, THAILAND.

All entries submitted to the SEAMEO Secretariat will be acknowledged. If the school has not received acknowledgement of receipt from the SEAMEO Secretariat within one week, please contact the SEAMEO Secretariat (Email: [email protected]).

Important dates

1 May to 10 August 2012: Period for submission of entries to the SEAMEO Secretariat by schools

10 August 2012: The last day for submission of entries

20 September 2012: Announcement of the winning schools on the SEAMEO website

November 2012: Award presentation ceremony at the SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in Thailand

February 2013: Study visit programme in Japan for the 1st winning school

Contact information

For enquires, please contact:

SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award
SEAMEO Secretariat
920 Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey District, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +66 (0) 2391 0144 I Fax: +66 (0) 2381 2587