The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and the Millennium Promise Alliance (MPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into the School’s curricula.

The MOU would enable the two parties to build on their comparative strengths to engage in policy research, analysis and advocacy, especially on the SDGs development.

Specifically, the project seeks to facilitate the development of a curriculum framework to integrate all 17 Sustainable Development Goals into tertiary education in Ghana, especially the Colleges of the University.

It will also develop an SDG-based programme for students, non-governmental organisations, executive directors, government operatives and support policy research and analysis in relation to sustainable development.

The MPA was selected to represent Ghana (together with Morocco and Turkey) for the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), Youth schools programme pilot to create SDG-aligned curricula at the national level.

Mr Nathaniel Ebo Nsarko, the Executive Director of MPA, a non-governmental organisation, which supports countries to advance the SDGs, said they were in collaboration with universities in Ghana to advance the course of SDGs.

He indicated that through such collaborations it identified UEW, which had shown keen interest in the SGGs, to co-host the Ghana chapter of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

He said the MPA and UEW had had several meetings in the past year in respect of the project hence the sealing of collaboration with MoU to build on the comparative strengths of both institutions.

Rev. Fr. Professor Anthony Afful-Broni, the Vice Chancellor of the UEW, said essentially UEW would join forces with all other teacher training institutions to facilitate the design and implementation of the SDG-based curriculum.

“This is to promote transformative change among pupils and students in basic, high schools and tertiary institutions, including undergraduates and graduate teaching, professional training and adult education”.

According to him the SDG-based academic curriculum would enable all lecturers to be trained and develop their understanding of the underpinning concepts.

Additionally, it will enable students across the country to explore the SDGs in the context of their disciplines to be integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses as well as graduate research trainings.

The VC, stated that the SDG would be utilized by all curriculum and education content developers, course coordinators and lectures, to help structure courses around real-world collaborative projects for change.

He gave the assurance that as an SDSN hosting Institution, the UEW would provide office space and a secretariat within the University premises in to establish the Chapter.

A detailed work plan would be drafted to ascertain the initial priorities of the network to lead to smaller event, workshops and podium discussions with members, partners and the networks to support the awareness of the Agenda 2030.