Jaguars Work Together Towards a Sustainable Future

Sustainability is one of three priorities of the Australian education curriculum, guiding Australian students to develop awareness and action for a more sustainable future.

Sydney International School System is currently applying the exclusive educational program of New South Wales with the Australian Framework as its “backbone.” For that reason, the curriculum at SISS also equips Jaguars with the knowledge, skills, and values of a real Australian student.

Similar to any other state’s education program in Australia, the New South Wales program is designed based on three cross-curriculum priorities, so that students can explore different areas of study in depth and widely. Among them, sustainability is the foundation for students to:

• Understand the ways social, economic, and environmental systems interact to support and maintain human life
• Appreciate and respect the diversity of views and values that influence sustainable development
• Participate critically and act creatively in determining more sustainable ways of living

Education for sustainability, also known as sustainability education, directs students to the future, focusing on protecting the environment and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through knowledgeable and responsible actions. Sustainability education encourages individuals to connect closely with the community to contribute to building more sustainable living models for society.

Sustainability is applied throughout the curriculum at SISS. For example, the Year 7 English program focuses on students expressing their opinions and learning about citizenship and cultural diversity while exploring different aspects of culture and making suggestions and ideas to adapt to the interference between different cultures.

As for Technology, students are encouraged to generate ideas and solutions by predicting economic, environmental, and social impacts. Sustainability in Technology is clearly demonstrated when the methods the program employs to minimize damage to resources, the environment, and climate change. In addition, since the beginning of the academic year, Jaguars have actively participated in several activities organized by the School within Spirit Days and Well-being Days to respond to the community and express their voice about social issues.