Page 410 - Vseživljenjsko učenje kot temelj trajnostne družbe

Marina Semiz

own knowledge and report a lack of institutional support (Torquati et al.,
2013).
Preschool teachers often face institutional constraints, including the lack
of clear guidelines and adequate support for implementing sustainability
principlesin theirpractice(Višnjić-Jevtićet al.,2022).A significant challengeis
that sustainability is frequently treated as an add-on to existing educational
practicesratherthanasafundamentaltransformationofthepedagogicalap-
proach. Although Education for Sustainable Development: Learning Objectives
(UNESCO, 2017) provides recommendations on content and methods, there
is a risk that such frameworks may be applied uncritically, without sufficient
regard to specific educational contexts and purposes. Biesta (2010) and Ster-
ling (2001) highlight the need to redefine the relationship between knowl-
edge and education, arguing that the educational system cannot effectively
address complex modern challenges unless it undergoes fundamental trans-
formation. Accordingly, preschool teachers’ competencies should be under-
stood as a dynamic integration of knowledge, values, emotions, and skills
necessary for reflective and ethical action. Competent preschool teachers
grasp core environmental principles and actively engage children in address-
ing concrete problems and conserving resources (López-Alcarria et al., 2021).
Meier and Sisk-Hilton (2017) emphasize that such teachers carefully observe
children, recognize their interests, and create environments that foster ex-
ploration, dialogue, and emotional connectedness to nature. In this process,
teachers act as guides and collaborators in children’s learning and discov-
ery. Research further indicates that preschool teachers derive personal satis-
faction and creative fulfilment from implementing environmental activities
(Kahriman-Öztürk, 2010).
Regarding the institutional framework in Serbia, a dual approach is evi-
dent. On the one hand, documents such as the National Strategy for Sus-
tainable Development (2008) and the Strategy for the Development of Ed-
ucation by 2030 (2021) adopt a functionalist perspective, emphasizing ed-
ucation’s role in meeting labour market demands and valuing it primarily
for its »efficiency«. On the other hand, preschool education policies – such
as the Preschool Curriculum Framework: Years of Ascent (Osnove programa
predšolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja, 2018) and the Rulebook on the Stan-
dards of Competencies for the Preschool Teacher Profession and Their Pro-
fessional Development (2018) – conceptualize education as a transformative
process. Preschool teachers are recognized as agents of change, and edu-
cation is increasingly understood through values such as collaboration, care
for others, and social responsibility, reflecting a broader conception of ed-
ucation for sustainable development as a culture that fosters change and
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