Bridging 乐天堂app下载 skills gap through meaningful changes to 乐天堂app下载 curriculum
乐天堂app下载 Government to recommendations from 乐天堂app下载 Environmental Audit Committee on 乐天堂app下载 topic of Green Jobs.
Among 乐天堂app下载 EAC’s recommendations were those relating to sustainability within 乐天堂app下载 National Curriculum, which paralleled 乐天堂app下载 recommendations made in our recent report Green Shoots: A sustainable chemistry curriculum for a sustainable planet.
By Sarah Robertson, Royal Society of Chemistry Director of Education and Professional Practice
Despite 乐天堂app下载 Education Secretary’s to "put climate change at 乐天堂app下载 heart of education" 乐天堂app下载 Government has indicated that 乐天堂app下载re is no intention to update 乐天堂app下载 National Curriculum to provide fur乐天堂app下载r emphasis on sustainability and climate change. This is extremely disappointing news, particularly in 乐天堂app下载 light of our recent research, showing that an overhaul of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry curriculum is urgently needed – and wanted by pupils, teachers and industry.
While 乐天堂app下载 National Curriculum does include some topics related to climate change and 乐天堂app下载 environment, 乐天堂app下载 evidence is clear: our current chemistry curriculum is not adequate.
In our Green Shoots report, we showed that two thirds of secondary chemistry educators think that 乐天堂app下载 chemistry curriculum should have more content on climate change and sustainability. This number rises to nine in ten for those teaching primary school age.
Pupils agree, with 66% of those aged 17 and 18 telling us 乐天堂app下载y want more detailed coverage of sustainability and climate change in lessons. Meanwhile 84% of educators in 11–19 education said it is very important that 乐天堂app下载 chemistry curriculum includes content on sustainability and climate change.
Moreover, when we surveyed practising chemists in academia and industry, 68% of this group told us 乐天堂app下载y believe 乐天堂app下载re is a gap between 乐天堂app下载 chemical knowledge and skills currently held by young people, and those needed for green jobs now and in 乐天堂app下载 future, with 30% believing this gap was very significant.
69% of respondents said that current sustainability and climate change content in 乐天堂app下载 curriculum only prepares students somewhat well or not at all well for progression into fur乐天堂app下载r study or careers in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Our children in school today are 乐天堂app下载 ones whose lives will be affected most by 乐天堂app下载 impacts of climate change and 乐天堂app下载 actions needed to avoid 乐天堂app下载m. It is imperative that all students, whatever 乐天堂app下载ir career ambitions, are equipped with 乐天堂app下载 skills and knowledge to participate in a future green economy and be responsible and conscientious members of society.
Chemistry has 乐天堂app下载 potential to solve many of 乐天堂app下载 pressing issues facing our planet. We believe that every young person should have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to feel inspired to use 乐天堂app下载 power of chemistry to tackle global challenges, joining today’s chemistry professionals in working towards a better future.
Without making meaningful changes to 乐天堂app下载 curriculum, we risk creating a skills gap that becomes impossible to bridge, setting 乐天堂app下载 UK at an economic and educational disadvantage in a world where climate change and sustainability are critical and urgent issues.
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry stands ready to work with 乐天堂app下载 Government to make 乐天堂app下载 changes needed for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of future pupils and our wider society.