RCE Penang - 2019

Garden Lab
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Garden Lab
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Penang
Contributing organization(s) : 
UNESCO IHP Malaysia
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Professor Dr Munirah Ghazali
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Dr Nooraida Yakob
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Assoc Prof Dr Mohammad Zohir Ahmad@Shaari
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
E-mail: 
Name: 
Ms Wan Sharipahmira Mohd Zain
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Mr Nasarudin Nazir
Organizational Affiliation: 
UNESCO IHP Malaysia
Name: 
Mdm Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Format of project: 
Manuscript
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Preschool, Primary and Secondary School Co-curriculum
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Local
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Penang
Address of focal point institution for project: 
RCE Penang, USM
Universiti Sains Malaysia 11800 Pulau Pinang
Malaysia
Ecosystem(s):

Water, Climate change, and Healthy Life
Target Audience:
Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., Youth (Informal)
Teachers & pupils Preschool, Primary and Secondary school
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Groundwater is another source to provide drinking water to humans and animals and it is also used for irrigation in agricultural sector. However, the source for groundwater is reducing due to several factors. Polluted groundwater, global warming which cause intrusion of salt water into coastal areas and over exploitation by human beings for different uses and the slow rate of recharging groundwater causes water shortage (WWAP, 2015). According to Russo, Alfredo and Fisher (2014), the numbers of people who are experiencing shortage of water are increasing every year. 50% of the world population will live in water shortage regions as stated by Quist-Jensen, Macedonio, and Drioli (2015). Water available for use is gradually decreasing if we do not conserve it.

For this reason, water education is needed. Teachers need to be exposed in various ways such as water saving, water reuse, recycle in ensuring water is sufficient for future generation. Our workshops will facilitate, educate and promote awareness, knowledge, appreciation and stewardship about water use. Therefore, teachers will be exposed to hands-on and minds-on activities in providing experiences about the sustainability of water use. Thus module development is necessary.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Water plays an important role as it is a basic requirement to sustain life. Water is used for personal needs, irrigation in agriculture, and also in industry to produce various products. Water not only affect organisms directly, but also affect the economy and the environment globally. According to WWAP (2015), safe and clean water is an important element in sustainable development as it contributes to the reduction of poverty, the growth of economy, environmental sustainability and to improve the overall aspect of an individual such as health aspect and food supply.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
July, 2018
Rationale: 
Efficient use of resources emphasizes that schools or any organizations are the primary consumers of energy, paper, food, water, detergents as well as places that generate waste, pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. However, schools has the potential to manage all the resources effectively and be able to model the local community.
Objectives: 
• To transfer information to teachers and students about the production of environmentally friendly compost, fertilizers and detergent.
• To produces organic garden-based gardens through the production of compost from food waste.
• To provide an early and comprehensive exposure through education to the concept of sustainability (ESD) in the local ecosphere.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
Organized a healthy space by reducing food waste production, focusing on the production of organic fertilizers, environmentally friendly detergent and recycling materials in the effort to set up an organic garden. Additionally, teachers can use this garden as a space to teach sustainability concepts and basic ecological concepts that leads to healthy life style.
Size of academic audience: 
Nearby preschool, primary and secondary schools
Results: 
Successful – organic vegetables have been produced such as kangkung, sawi,timun.
Effective microorganism solution has been produced. It has been made from wasted fruit from nearby RCE Penang.
Lessons learned: 
to grow organic vegetables is quite challenging since to control pests is quite difficult.

Key messages: 
RCE staff and students enjoyed the organic vegetables
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
RCE Sejahtera Youth
Kelab Sejahtera
Regional Sejahtera ESD Network
Funding: 
UNESCO IHP Malaysia

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon IMG_2788.JPG (7.66 MB)
Image icon IMG_2794.JPG (7.05 MB)
Image icon IMG_2775.JPG (6.61 MB)
References and reference materials: 
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 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Indirect
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 
Indirect
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 
Direct
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 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Direct
Arts 
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Indirect
Ecotourism 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Direct
Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development – Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Building capacities of educators and trainers 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 4 - Empowering and mobilizing youth 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
Indirect
Update: 
No