Sustainable development goals in the IB primary years programme

Abstract

Planet Earth’s natural resources are fast depleting. The pressure of about seven billion people is taking its toll on all ecosystems. Today we have a depleted ozone layer, acid rain, oil spills, nuclear accidents, and health problems that have had an impact on health and education. Education is one of the important and sure ways to help change people’s values and behaviors thus encouraging sustainable lifestyles. This study explored the written International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) documents and saw if these documents help envelope the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results show that 17 SDGs are represented in the two IB PYP documents analyzed. However, an imbalance was observed and there was more weightage towards some of the SDGs and their targets and very little or none towards some SDGs and their targets. Further research is recommended in the taught International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP).