GCED CDI Capacity-Building Workshop in Nepal: Strengthening GCED Through Curriculum and Textbook Development

A five-day Capacity-Building Workshop on GCED Integration was held from 18 to 22 May 2025 in Kathmandu as part of the second year of the Global Citizenship Education Curriculum Development and Integration (GCED CDI) Project. Co-organised by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) and the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), the workshop aimed to provide technical guidance for textbook writers, curriculum specialists, and educators engaged in reviewing the revised Social Studies curriculum for Grades 8 and 10 and working to development textbooks based on the revised curriculum.

Around 40 participants, including textbook writers, educators, and core members of the GCED CDI Committee, attended the workshop. Sessions were facilitated by international resource persons Dr. Esther Care, Ms. Lea Espallardo, and Ms. Jeongmin Eom, Deputy Head, Institute of GCED, APCEIU.

The workshop began with an opening session with opening remarks from Mr. Purushottam Ghimire (Director, CDC), then remarks from Ms. Jeongmin Eom, Mr. Rameshwor Prasad Yadav (Deputy Secretary General, Nepal National Commission for UNESCO), Mr. Yubaraj Poudel (Director General, CDC), and Mr. Shiva Kumar Sapkota (Joint Secretary and Chief of Planning and Monitoring Division, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology).

A progress report on the Social Studies curriculum revision was presented by Mr. Dinanath Gautam, Director, CDC, outlining legal frameworks, stakeholder feedback, and how GCED competencies were incorporated. This was followed by sessions on introduction to the GCED conceptual framework and its relevance to Nepal’s curriculum revision.

Day 2 explored the shift toward competency-based learning and transformative pedagogy, with discussions on interdisciplinary approaches, learner-centered practices, and socio-emotional development. 

Participants then reviewed the revised Social Studies curricula for Grades 8 and 10, analysing GCED alignment and identifying areas for improvement in pedagogy and assessment.

On Day 3, the focus shifted to identifying gaps in areas such as socio-emotional learning and value-based assessment. These insights guided the start of write-shops, where participants began drafting textbook content linked to GCED competencies. During the write-shops, examples from countries such as South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines were presented, highlighting their experiences and current practices in integrating GCED into curricula and developing textbooks. These examples sparked meaningful discussions and inspired teachers with new ideas.

Collaborative drafting continued into the fourth day, with participants refining unit plans, learning activities, and assessment ideas. A group brainstorming session was held to consolidate insights and identify the support needed in the next phase. Participants reflected on the week’s progress and reaffirmed their commitment to aligning GCED competencies with curriculum and textbook objectives.

Nepal is preparing to develop new textbooks based on the revised Social Studies curriculum.  The outcomes of this workshop will directly inform the writing process, ensuring that GCED principles are meaningfully reflected throughout. As the GCED CDI project moves forward, continued collaboration is expected to play a key role in advancing GCED integration in Nepal’s education system.