A Needs Assessment and Benchmark Survey were conducted as one of the major activities in the initial phase of the COE Project of DAM. Objectives of this study are basically twofold. Firstly, to review the needs in the community for re-orienting education and social services for sustainable development. The target groups of the Project include the education providers, stakeholders, local government authorities and community people. As such, the assessment were conducted to determine the extent of their needs for education and training for increasing their capacity to address the ESD issues – ecology, economy and equity. Thus the need for re-orienting education for promoting environmental issues, creating livelihood opportunities and ensuring their active participation in social development were the major focus of the needs assessment.

Secondly, the study created a benchmark for future evaluation of Project interventions. Marking the pre-project situation by having an assessment of relevant indicators would provide a basis for future comparison at various phases of the Project implementation.

Overall, the study was supposed to generate a total insight into the issues of sustainable development in the Project locations from the education perspectives and help adjusting and/or redesigning the Project implementation plan accordingly, if necessary.