Education for Sustainable Development in the Namibian Biology Curriculum

Abstract

As a response to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, Namibia has incorporated Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into its education policy. There has thus been a growing recognition of the significance of ESD across the school curriculum. However, of the various subjects taught in secondary schools, science subjects (especially biology) are often perceived as subjects that can make a signifi cant contribution to ESD. Drawing on research 1 that was conducted at three schools in Windhoek, this chapter will comment critically on the uptake of ESD in the Biology Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC) curriculum. The chapter reflects on the influence of learner-centred education in the Namibian curriculum, the challenges and successes of ESD integration in the biology curriculum and how ESD has potential to strengthen and expand policies on learner-centred education, helping to translate them into practices.