Curriculum Pathways and Vocational/Technical Competency-Based Education for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Education

Abstract

One of the United Nations’ priorities to be achieved by 2030 are Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs) using education as a core instrument. Also, Competency-Based Education (CBE) remains 
an innovative approach to attain a measurable level of competency in the process of pursuing the 
actualisation of the SDGs. However observations from public discourse reveals criticisms on the 
interpretation of competency-based education in curriculum practice. On this premise, the paper 
discussed “curriculum pathways and vocational/technical competency-based education for 
achieving sustainable development goals in education”. A review of the concept of sustainable 
development, SDG 1 and curriculum pathways was done with conceptual clarification of 
Competency-Based Education and an appraisal of its theoretical foundations to clear ambiguities, 
and for its practical relevance. Vocational and Technical Education Curriculum Pathways 
(VTECP) where competency-based education approaches are central for adequate knowledge and 
skills acquisition for employment and sustainability was also examined... As a pathway to achieve 
sustainable development goals, the significant position of criterion-reference assessment for 
learners to be vocationally competent were lucidly presented. It is recommended that the use of 
demonstrable pedagogy and the pre-eminence of standardized competency in skills acquisition 
should be made paramount in the education process for sustainable development vision to be 
achieved.