Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth Director General of the institute while welcoming the
delegates said that Climate and sustainability concerns are growing ever more important to today’s world
delegates said that Climate and sustainability concerns are growing ever more important to today’s worldINVC NEWS
Amritsar ,
Guru Arjan Dev Institute of Development Studies Amritsar organized its two days annual seminar on Sustainability at the conference hall of Baba Budha college Bhawan of Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar. Specifically the theme of the seminar was Teacher Education for Sustainability and Food and Nutritional Securities: Challenges for Sustainability.
Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth Director General of the institute while welcoming the delegates said that Climate and sustainability concerns are growing ever more important to today’s world. The movement toward a net-zero emissions economy is a global imperative. Climate change affects everything from geopolitics to economies to migration. And because it touches everything seeks to examine it from every angle. When COVID-19 began to tear through countries, politicians and business leaders largely followed the advice of experts and accepted swift government action to flatten the curve of infections. So why do so many of them still cling to the hope that firms and the market, left to their own logic, can flatten the curve of carbon emissions?
Dr Manmohan Singh Gill former Professor and Head of Sociology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar inaugurated the seminar and gave away IDSAsr Research Excellence award. Lifetime achievement award was presented to Dr. U. K. Srivastava, former professor Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and now Director, PSMC, Ahmedabad; Male researcher award to Dr. Manoranjan Sharma Chief Economist, New Delhi; Female researcher award to Dr Enakshi Sengupta, Interim Chair – Business Department American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) Kabul, Afghanistan and Dr. Sandesh Yadav Author and Freelance Researcher from New Delhi with Young researcher award.
DR Gill said that at the beginning of the millennium, Environmental Education (EE) became compulsory in India, and globally Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) came to be seen as driver for change to achieve sustainability. The seminar aims to broadening of its scope with the integration environmental, social and economic concerns (ESD in spirit, if not in letter). Most of the EE programmes (supported by) the government and (those designed and implemented by) the NGOs were mediated through teachers before and after the Supreme Court Directives.. Dr Gill concludes that there are several laudatory efforts in the country to mainstream EE. The long experience of the various stakeholders in implementing finely targeted EE programmes and projects should be harnessed in both designing and implementing systemic level interventions to strengthen EE.
Dr Gill also released various publication published by the institute. These two books were on the current topics of water and education. The first book was entitled as ‘Waste Water Recycling and Reuse System’ while the second book was entitled as‘Elementary Education: Needs Renewed Push’. Both the books are authored by Dr G S Kainth
In todays interconnected world it’s easy to access the information but very difficult to know what is to be done with the collected information according to Ms Renu Vashistha State Vice President- Elementary Education, Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jaipur. Knowledge is lying all around but ideas not. We are taught to connect the visible dots but how to connect the invisible dots to create or invent? Why do we keep changing the curriculum? The truth which remains same needs to be taken care of for the education to sustain. We need to take care of the truth which is unchangeable. For the sustainability we need to create a harmony between the mind body and soul.
She added that it is the time for a paradigm shift where the new age concept ‘PRASANG’ truly works for ascension. This is a flawless concept of aligning mind, body and soul which enables a balance between inner and outer world. We think fixing out conditions will fix our lives – A myth. Let’s imbibe values, build character, build nation. BE ‘PRASANG’ BE JOYOUS
Dr. V. K. Banga, Principal, Amritsar Group of Colleges, Amritsar was the key speaker on “Food and Nutritional Securities: Challenge for sustainability (FNS)”. He said sustainable and inclusive economic growth must be promoted to create more job opportunities and for improve living standards of the people. The pandemic has disrupted lives and livelihoods and jeopardized the global economy. Environment is to be taken care for sustainable growth. Empowering women will be key to improved nutrition, as they play a decisive role in their family’s food security. Nearly 40 per cent of the food produced in India is wasted every year due to fragmented food systems and inefficient supply chains. He concluded with the remarks that Technology is to play important role in Production and distribution for reducing the Food wastage. Dr Banga also highlighted about AGC organic Agro-farm in which they practicing Hydroponics, Fishery farming, Oyster Mushrooming by using Poly house unit, vermi Composting and latest techniques in farming. AGC is also providing training to the farmers about these techniques.
Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth Director General of the institute while welcoming the delegates on the concluding day said that Education for sustainable development (ESD) promotes the development of the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and actions required to create a sustainable world, which ensures environmental protection and conservation, promotes social equity and encourages economic sustainability. Sustainability education encompasses all school subjects and extends far beyond the classroom. It gives students real-world skills they can use to improve the planet. It provides today’s children with the self-sufficiency they need for tomorrow. Teacher plays a significant role in students’ life. Thus the concept of sustainable living can be well transmitted to all students (future citizen) by a teacher. Teacher should be aware of right curriculum, pedagogy and discipline to infuse the concept of sustainability in students’ life.
Ms Renu Vashistha State Vice President- Elementary Education, Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jaipur, Dr. Sunil B. Kapadia of Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Guntur and Dr Veena Sclair were the key speaker for the theme Teacher Education for Sustainability and session was chaired by Dr Parmila Srivastva Managing Director of PS Management Consultants, Ahmedabad
According to Dr. Sunil B. Kapadia of Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Guntur, teacher is an ‘inspirer’ to society is a well-known fact and does not need any endorsement. Maintainable development is a fundamental Human Right and it is attained with the powerful tool of pedagogy. Every person can gain from Educational offerings and get coached in the lifestyle, etiquette, and values imperative to beget a maintainable future hence the Coaching for maintainable advancement is a zestful commitment.
Training for maintainability necessitates educating and learning common and allied problem-solving competencies to address censorious environmental, economic, and social problems. To address the crucial elements of content understanding, competencies, behaviors, and characters is a major focus that has to be taught in instructor pedagogy programs so that new instructors can guide and steer execution.
Maintainable growth is very far-reaching for the future-oriented community wherein pedagogy plays a crucial part in the achievement of this objective. Pedagogy and maintainable growth are interconnected with each other as they both negotiate with the well-administered profession, impartiality and equity in society, sustained financial expansion, and many more concerns associated with communal up-gradation.
To sensitize and authorize persons ‘Pedagogy for a maintainable future’ make use of multi-disciplinary, learner-centered perspectives, and a disruptive and participative approach. It is practicable to bring memorable changes in the mindset of the common man since academic federations are the sites where the contact of the community is more. Dr. Veena Slaich reflected on district level initiative taken by Government for disabled children.
Session on the second theme of the seminar Food and Nutritional Securities: Challenges for Sustainability was chaired by Dr Swainder Kaur Deputy Dean, School of Agriculture, Dept of Food Technology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara. Dr Sandesh Yadav Freelancer researcher from Delhi was the main speaker was a first person in India to work on the topic of ‘Food Environment. His prime objective was to create awareness about the ‘availability of food’ and ‘affordability of food’ so that accurate and ground reality based assessment food and nutrition can be done. The eating choices and dietary food habits vary from ‘top to bottom’ in society. Consequently, people due to their financial limitations specifically poor/marginalized sections/BPL opt for ‘belly filling food’ which is low in nutrition. WHO also releases reports on food and nutrition and facts related to mortality and diseases related to improper intake of food. Likewise, various Indian institute and governmental agencies carry out health related survey which shows that excessive intake of salt and sugar results in various ailments related to heart and blood pressure. I also talked about the revival of Hunger Index (2004) and Nutrition Index (1994) in order to carry out State-wise assessment of hunger and nutrition. Lastly, he talked about the individual role in monitoring ones diet, eating choices and nutrition in order to survive in healthy manner.
Dr Seema Puri of Department of Foods & Nutrition and Dr Nidhi Gulati, of Department of Elementary Education, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi in their joint study examines the school setting as a potential place for intervention to improve children’s dietary and nutritional knowledge and overall health. The Intervention Module covered low-cost food options, sugar control, a balanced diet and nutrients for our bodies, as well as water, sleep, and physical activity requirements. The Module consisted of presentations, demonstrations, stories and narratives, activities, interactive experiences, and handouts.
Following intervention, there was a significant increase in the percentage of children who made food choices sensibly, consumed three or more vegetable servings, and drank more water. Results presented in form of statistical data and qualitative insights show significant improvements and efficacy of the Intervention modules. Nutritional awareness and knowledge enhancement was facilitated by the provision of mid-day meals, teacher involvement, NGO engagement, and a desire to learn. The limitations included a lack of resources, inadequate supervision and monitoring, a lack of nutrition awareness, and easy availability to inexpensive food. At the moment, the school curriculum contains knowledge about regional diversity, agricultural practices and food as a cultural universal in the EVS discipline. It is recommended that nutrition and dietary knowledge be integrated into the curriculum. Sharing best practices such as a school kitchen garden and talking to parent communities may help children develop healthy eating habits. The seminar concluded by Dr. Pramila Srivastva who admirably talks about the need for sustainability in the growth plane in every stream. Twenty papers was discussed on in the seminar
