Swazi Teachers’ views on the use of cultural knowledge for integrating education for sustainable development into science teaching

Abstract

The international community looks towards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to address global problems such as environmental degradation, poverty and ill-health. This article focuses on the integration of ESD into science lessons. It reports Junior Secondary School (JSS) science teachers’ perceptions of the ESD concept; its integration into their teaching and what they perceive to be the role of traditional, cultural practices in promoting ESD through science teaching.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen JSS teachers from a variety of school contexts. The data were analysed using Grounded Theory methods. The findings reflected that the teachers were not familiar with the ESD concept. However, they claimed to be unknowingly practicing its integration in some of their teaching. The environmental aspect of ESD was perceived as most suitable for integration into science teaching. Specific cultural activities related to the science curriculum and ESD were seen as an avenue for encompassing the social aspect too.