Chapter 9: Social Education in Malaysian Secondary Schools: A Perspective on Environmentally Sustainable Development and Related Critical Issues

Social education can contribute to the holistic development of individuals. In many ways, educators in social education, together with policy makers, curriculum developers, human resource trainers and other professionals aspire to make social education a channel for holistic development of individuals in harmony with environmentally sustainable development (Lee, Quek, & Chew, 2001; Loughran, Mitchell, & Mitchell, 2002; Malaysia, 2006; Ministry of Education, Malaysia, Curriculum Development Centre, 2005a, 2005b; Quek, 2003a, 2003b). Here environmentally sustainable development refers to the needs fulfillment of indi-viduals (such as personal needs) and nations (such as nation building) through harmonious experiences with others (such as family members, colleagues at work, neighbors, community members, and citizens of other nations) for preserving ecosystems (such as natural and human resources), in tandem with maintaining over time the economic growth and development of a nation.