Exploring the Potential and Challenges of Integrating Environmental Issues in Formal Education in Malawi

Abstract

Integration of environmental issues in education is one approach to achieving sustainable development in Malawi and perhaps other countries. This paper analyses the integration initiatives in formal education including primary, secondary and university levels. The analysis is conducted with a view of identifying the successes and challenges. The ‘intended’ and the ‘experienced’ curriculum formed the unit of analysis. While the ‘intended’ curriculum was represented by the written syllabi, the general conditions of the school environment and evidence of teaching approaches used by teachers as found by previous studies, were used as a proxy for the ‘experienced’ curriculum. In general, the analysis has shown that initiatives of integrating environmental issues in the ‘intended’ curriculum have been achieved with considerable success although student drop out and the designation of core and elective subjects pose some challenges in this respect. The ‘experienced’ curriculum tends to face more challenges arising largely from the resource constraints of the schools. It is recommended that resource provision in the schools should be improved significantly if integration of environmental issues is to yield the desired results. In addition, teachers should be trained to use culturally responsive pedagogy in order to tap from the IKS of the learners.