The National Programme “Values Development in Estonian Society” will continue in 2015–2020

The renewal of the National Programme “Values Development in Estonian Society” for the years 2015–2020 was announced at the eighth annual Values Education Conference that took place on the 10th and 11th of December 2015 in Tartu. Since 2009 when the programme began, fifteen books have been published as a part of the Values Development Programme and various methodology resources have been developed; the values game has become the best-known among these resources.

The aim of the Values Development Programme is to help the emergence of a deliberative public sphere, to facilitate reflection upon values and to support the formation of values that can serve as the basis for the individual’s happy life and society’s successful functioning.

The programme initiated by the Ministry of Education and Research has two main aims. The first of them is the values education for children and young people. The second aim is to raise society’s awareness about the questions of ethics and to support public discussion about basic values. The Centre for Ethics of the University of Tartu is responsible for the realisation of the programme.

According to the Head of the Centre for Ethics, Professor Margit Sutrop, thanks to the activities of the programme, the awareness of schools and preschools about values education and their ability to provide it have grown. “In order to help Estonian education system to change and become values-based and to make the public aware about the necessity of this change in schools, it is necessary that the values programme be renewed. Then it will be possible to offer schools and preschools advice and methodological support for values education”, Sutrop emphasizes.

She added that for the wellbeing of society, the development of Estonian language and culture and the continuing existence of Estonia as a democratic state, it is very important that members of society’s other crucial professions also think through the values that form the basis of their work, explicate their values and follow them in their professional activities. “Accordingly, it is necessary to continue activities in the sphere of professional ethics and values development in cooperation with various ministries, professional organisations, non-governmental organisations and private companies. It is also important to support a discussion about values that engages the entire society with the help of online forums, media publications, conferences, thematic colloquia and seminars, and the organisation of essay competitions”, Sutrop explains.

Thanks to the Values Development Programme, since 2009 when the programme began fifteen books have been published and various methodology resources have been developed; the values game has become the best-known among these resources. The Values Game for teachers has been played in 150 schools; the game Discovering Values for school students based on the same methodological principles has also been released. Besides this, various conferences, colloquia and seminars on the topic of ethics and values have been organised as a part of the programme (see details at www.eetika.ee).

The members of the Programme Board are Olav Aarna, Jüri Engelbrecht, Halliki Harro-Loit, Maris Jesse, Hent Kalmo, Irene Käosaar, Kristi Liiva, Maris Ojamuru, Heidi Paabort, Margus Pedaste, Ilmar Raag, Meego Remmel, Heiki Sibul, Margit Sutrop, Margit Timakov, Ain Tõnisson and Kristi Vinter.

The renewal of the National Programme “Values Development in Estonian Society 2009–2013” for the years 2015–2020 is funded by the Ministry of Education and Research.