ESD, Learning and Quality Education in Africa: Learning Today for Tomorrow

Abstract

As the twenty-first century continues to unfold, African societies are characterised by the continuing effects of a long history of colonial intrusion, the challenges associated with establishing new societies and governance structures following the post-1950s' independence period and a complex array of risks and uncertainties associated with the more recent spread of hyper-capitalism, globalisation and earth system degradation. African societies, like societies elsewhere, are in the process of working out what the full meaning of educational quality might be in such a world. In this chapter we suggest that in working towards a fuller understanding of the meaning of educational quality, there is need to consider insights provided by environment and sustainability education (ESE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). 1 These perspectives can potentially also frame and provide perspective on emerging research agendas for ESD in Africa, as demonstrated in the chapters of this book. We propose the need to place emphasis on ESD learning processes in conceptions of educational quality and, in turn, probe how such ESD learning processes are conceptualised. This chapter provides insights into some emerging conceptual framings of ESE and quality education, with an emphasis on ESE learning processes. The chapter draws on a recent review of literature and case examples of ESE learning processes in Africa, published in a Southern African Development Community Study undertaken for the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (Lupele \& Lotz-Sisitka, 2012). It links this literature and case study review to the recent emphasis on ESD and educational quality in the global sustainable development goals and to wider imperatives for decolonisation of education in Africa.