RCE Tongyeong - 2023

ESD Free Semester 'Sustainable Me and world'
Basic Information
Title of project : 
ESD Free Semester 'Sustainable Me and world'
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Tongyeong
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE Tongyeong, Tongyeong city, Schools in Gyeongsangnam-do

Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Unji LEE
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
E-mail: 
tyrce.ujlee@gmail.com
Name: 
Bomyung Seo
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
E-mail: 
tyrce.bmseo@gmail.com
Format of project: 
manuscript, PowerPoint, audiovisual
Language of project: 
Korean
Date of submission:
Update
Additional resources: 
https://youtu.be/SB2lsyVxxCY?si=q90_zci1obnMqh5v
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
Designating EE and ESD City
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Subnational
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Korea, South
Ecosystem(s):
Coastal, Forest, Urban/Peri-urban, Wetlands
Target Audience:
Secondary
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Tongyeong is a small coastal city with a population of 125,000 located in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do on the southern coast of South Korea. The region has a humid and temperate coastal climate, with broadleaf evergreen forest. Surrounded by more than 570 islands along its coast, the city is known for being a beautiful tourist and recreational city. It is also known as a hometown for the arts, where many famous artists from various fields such as music, literature, and art have been born and practiced their artistry. Most of the working population is engaged in fisheries or tourism, with the elderly population steadily increasing like in many regions of South Korea.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Tongyeong was designated as RCE cities from UNU-IAS 2005. Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE) is a program of the United Nations University. An RCE is a network of existing formal, non-formal and informal organisations that facilitate learning towards sustainable development in local and regional communities. About 170 RCEs are designated since 2005. Tongyeong was designated as the 8th RCE in the world. There 7 RCE cities in Korea including RCE Tongyeong. After 10 years, with the supporting of Ministry of Envirenment of Korea, Sejahtera Forest opened 2015.
Tongyeong, a small port city situated near the southernmost tip of Korea, is capitalizing on its unique regional characteristics by implementing a range of ESD projects. One notable initiative is vocational training programs that align with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) curriculum for women and retiree.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
March, 2023
Rationale: 
in the case of South Korea, while environmental subjects are included in the curriculum, the proportion of these subjects being offered as elective courses is very low, resulting in limited practical implementation of environmental education. Additionally, due to a shortage of environmental educators, teachers from other disciplines are often tasked with delivering environmental education, which hinders the provision of specialized instruction
Objectives: 
- To enhance Sustainability Education: The introduction of the ESD program in Gyeongsangnamdo Province aims to provide students with a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of sustainability-related topics.
- To equip students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to become informed, responsible, and proactive participants in building a more sustainable future for themselves and their communities.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
In South Korea, beginning in 2016, the 'Free Semester' policy has been implemented as a measure to alleviate the substantial academic stress that students commonly face due to standardized testing.
During these designated 'free learning semesters,' national standardized tests are suspended, and educators assess students' progress and participation without employing the usual standardized testing methods. The evaluations conducted within the framework of the free semester do not contribute to students' formal academic grades.

In 2019, the Gyeongsangnamdo Province introduced an Enhanced Sustainability Education (ESD) program intended to provide students with more comprehensive and profound educational content during the 17th semester. This program was developed in collaboration with RCE Tongyeong, a regional center of expertise focused on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
Structured across 17 thematic classes, this program delves into subjects such as responsible and sustainable consumption, energy dynamics, food systems, employment landscapes, localized research endeavors, and more. Central to this curriculum is the emphasis on fostering not solely knowledge acquisition, but also cultivating pertinent attitudes and actionable behaviors.

The program is deliberately designed to prompt students to contextualize their acquired knowledge within the spheres of their local communities. By imparting a sense of urgency for proactive engagement, the program inspires students to apply their learning to the challenges and opportunities presented by their immediate surroundings.
For instance, in a module centered around 'Sustainable Food Choices,' students are encouraged to reimagine a regular school meal recipe in a vegan context. Subsequently, they are motivated to advocate for and propose the adoption of this eco-friendly meal option within the school's food service.
This approach aligns with the broader objectives of ESD and nurtures a generation of learners who possess a nuanced understanding of sustainability, while concurrently instilling the inclination and capability to effect positive change within their communities.
Size of academic audience: 
3,000 students from 30 schools in three cities
Funding: 
from Gyeongsangnamdo office of education

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon 자유학기제_그린잡.JPG (137.82 KB) Discussion class Bomyung SEO
Image icon 자유학기제_단체사진.jpg (212.83 KB) Group photo Bomyung SEO
Image icon 자유학기제_지속가능성을 배우는 우리학교.jpg (2.13 MB) Making Sustianable School Bomyung SEO
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Direct
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Direct
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Direct
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Direct
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Direct
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Direct
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Direct
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Agriculture 
Direct
Arts 
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Direct
Waste 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
Yes
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes