Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, 2016 Launched in Pakistan
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President ECO Science Foundation among the Panelist
28th Sep 2016: The Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report), formerly known as the Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR), is an editorially independent, authoritative, and evidence-based annual report by UNESCO. Its core mandate is to monitor progress towards the education targets in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework. With its renewed mandate in 2015 the GEM Report team launches a new series of internationally focused education monitoring reports starting in 2016. The 2016 GEM Report is titled: ‘Education for people and planet: Creating sustainable futures for all’. UNESCO Islamabad Office organized a launching ceremony of 2016 GEM Report on September 28th 2016 in which distinguished experts from government, international organizations, civil society and academia participated. The Report has clubbed the SDGs in six ‘P’s, Planet, Prosperity, People, Peace, Places and Partnerships.
President ECO Science Foundation Prof. Manzoor Soomro was invited as a panelist to share his views about Planet: Environmental Sustainability. Prof. Soomro opened the panel discussion moderated by Ms. Mahreen Khan. He after congratulating the organizers said that, Sustainability is a three-legged table consisting of the environment, the economy, and society. Without a sustainable productive environment to provide a resource foundation, it would be difficult or impossible to imagine having a sustainable society. Similarly, a sustainable economy depends upon a sustainable flow of material, energy, and environmental resources. Without it, economic systems will fail. However, a sustainable environment need not be dependent on the existence of either society or economy and, as evidenced in the wild, can stand alone as a sustainable system. There is need to maintain, and enhance environmental sustainability, particularly in relation to; climate change, land degradation, access to clean water and sanitation and urbanization.
He emphasized over the importance of critical thinking and inquiry based learning by children and youth as well as by the communities. Moreover, science education based upon the “inquiry” holds much importance in training the minds of individuals for understanding the world. It should be inculcated among children at primary & secondary school levels to nurture critical and innovative thinking in the society especially young children, he said.