RCE Penang - 2020

EMPOWERING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS LEADERSHIP ON SDG 2 AND SDG 6 VIA INTEGRATED GREEN GARDEN
Basic Information
Title of project : 
EMPOWERING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS LEADERSHIP ON SDG 2 AND SDG 6 VIA INTEGRATED GREEN GARDEN
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Penang
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE Penang
Universiti Sains Malaysia
UNESCO-IHP Malaysia
SK Sungai Nibong
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
MUNIRAH GHAZALI
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE PENANG
Name: 
NOORAIDA YAKOB
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE PENANG
Name: 
NUR SYAZWANA HAMZAH
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE PENANG
Format of project: 
Module, Report, Video
Language of project: 
Malay and English
Date of submission:
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
RCE Penang
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Ground Floor, Block D07,
Sejahtera Tower,
11800 USM,
Penang,Malaysia
Target Audience:
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
In sustainable agriculture, we introduce environmental friendly technique where no chemicals, no digging and no pesticides will be used. We named it as Integrated Green Garden. The garden will focus on Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs 2 and SDGs 6. The SDGs 2 is related to Zero Hunger where food security (Food Security) is focused. With this SDGs, we will highlight that the vegetables are safe (without chemicals) and nutritious since it is organic-based. While in SDGs 6, we are focusing on saving water. Now, fresh water resources are limited then we need to avoid water wastage. In this Integrated Green Garden, we used of rain water harvesting or waste water from air conditioner. Besides, RCE style composting, traditional composting and effective micro-organisms (EM) liquid were introduced. They will be trained to enhance their knowledge and skills about sustainable agriculture in order to have a new perspective of farming. They also will be trained to have from a small-scale farming practices to economic scale farming. With this, we have empowered the teachers and students leadership in SDG 2 and SDG 6.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
School garden have a practical and dynamic opportunity to link students with nature (Bundschu-
Mooney, 2003). By having the school garden, it helps student engaged in maintaining garden and
practice environmental stewardship (Alexander et al., 1995; Mayer-Smith et al., 2007; Pothukuchi,
2004; Waliczek et al., 2001). According to V.Plaka and C. Skanavis, school gardens can be
infused into the educational curriculum not only to enable students to learn about plants, nature
and outdoors but also other subjects like history, economics, mathematics and science studies.
There is also another study indicated that designing and maintaining gardens show an increase
in self-efficacy. (Lekies et al., 2006; Poston et al., 2005).
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
January, 2019
Rationale: 
Water is a molecule that is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. When these three atoms come together, they form a strong bond that is difficult to break. This strong bond keeps a water molecule together for millions and even billions of years. Water is a main component of earth’s rivers, lakes, oceans and fluids for all living organisms. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless and transparent and its cover over 70% of the Earth surface. Similarly, 70% of our body is covered with water. Water is a source of life, livings and prosperity. It is as well an important input for almost all types of the productions, agricultures, industries, energy, transport and so on (Grey and Sadoff, 2007). It is an essential element in maintaining the life and it is needed for the survival of all organisms (Azlan et al., 2012). Water are valuable and useful to humans. It has been known for millennia that human survival and ecosystem conservation depends on the reliable availability of adequate water of appropriate quality (Asian Water Development Outlook, 2007). Without water, all forms of life could never exist and will not survive. The earth is probably the only planet in the vast universe that has lives on it and the only reason is because the earth is blessed with abundant of water (Zakaria et al., 2011).
Realising the need to provide greater exposure on the concept of water education and food security to the masses, the Regional Centre of Expertise Penang (RCE Penang) based at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has embarked on a collaboration with the UNESCO IHP Malaysia to conduct a project on Empowering Teachers and Students Leadership in SDG 6 via Integrated Green Garden. The project in general aimed at strengthening the leadership qualities in teachers and students in water education especially on water saving, water reuse, water recycle in order to ensurie water is sufficient for future generation. In this project, teachers were exposed to hands-on and minds-on activities in providing experiences about the sustainability of water use. The development of the Integrated Green Garden took about 2 weeks to finish. The Integrated Green Garden system was introduced by RCE Penang@USM used several sophisticated techniques which are rain-water harvesting system, ‘batas apungan’ technique and irrigation system. Interestingly, for the school project, we used the water from air conditioner to water the plant. From the project, we were able to provide awareness to teachers and students that we could do something to safe the water by using our own creativity and ideas. We also instill the leadership quality in teachers and students by providing guidance on how to maintain the garden. The vegetables from the garden will be sold to the canteen to cook for the students. By doing this, we also inculcate the entrepreneurship skills to teachers and students as well as the awareness on food security.
Objectives: 
i. To give knowledge about the sustainability of water use
ii. To create awareness on clean water shortage
iii. To protect and enhance no water wastage
iv. To promote and educate teachers about water care activities
v. To inculcate values towards water and food security
vi. To encourage young children to advocate issues about water by engaging with water authorities
vii. To empower teachers’ and students’ leadership on SDG 6 and SDG 2 via Integrated Green Garden
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The project in general aimed at strengthening the leadership qualities in teachers and students in water education especially on water saving, water reuse, water recycle in order to ensurie water is sufficient for future generation. In this project, teachers were exposed to hands-on and minds-on activities in providing experiences about the sustainability of water use.
The development of the Integrated Green Garden took about 2 weeks to finish. The Integrated Green Garden system was introduced by RCE Penang@USM used several sophisticated techniques which are rain-water harvesting system, ‘batas apungan’ technique and irrigation system. Interestingly, for the school project, we used the water from air conditioner to water the plant.
Size of academic audience: 
500
Results: 
From the project, we were able to provide awareness to teachers and students that we could do something to safe the water by using our own creativity and ideas. We also instill the leadership quality in teachers and students by providing guidance on how to maintain the garden. The vegetables from the garden will be sold to the canteen to cook for the students. By doing this, we also inculcate the entrepreneurship skills to teachers and students as well as the awareness on food security.We hope this project will be able to be implemented in the school throughout the country especially in Penang.
Lessons learned: 
Based on the students interview, we concluded that the students lack awareness regarding the current water issues in Malaysia. Therefore, this module development could help the teachers to infuse water education specially to practice hands-on and minds on water as well as SDG 6 in their lesson plans. The water education not only focuses on creating awareness on the water issues but also to empower students’ as the change agent for water education in Malaysia.
Key messages: 
The Integrated Green Garden use the concept of water reuse.We use the rain-water harvesting system or waste water from air conditioner to water our organically grown vegetables. We also do our own composting system to fertilize the our garden. Besides, we implement no digging by using the batas apungan (raised bed) technique and the cocopeat as soil replacement.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
RCE Tongyeong has visited the Integrated Green Garden at SK Sungai Nibong on 16 January 2020.
Funding: 
UNESCO-IHP Malaysia

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon IHP Primary 2.jpg (1.69 MB) Workshop for teachers on Integrated Green Garden Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2019-07-09 at 12.51.48 (1).jpeg (158.15 KB) Integrated Green Garden at RCE Penang as Living Lab Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Image icon Students showcase on IGG.jpg (500.31 KB) Students showcase on IGG Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Image icon Collected air conditioner water to water plant.jpg (177.8 KB) Collected air-conditioner waste water to water the plant Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Image icon IGG at school using used tyre.jpg (467.4 KB) IGG at school using used tyre Nur Syazwana Hamzah
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 
Direct
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
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 
Indirect
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Direct
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Indirect
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
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 
Indirect
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 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Agriculture 
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No