Empowering Namibian Future Teachers for Integrating Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability in Preservice Teacher Training

Abstract

Namibia needs to prepare teachers for the future to teach in a way that combines multiple subjects for education sustainability. This study involved a review of teacher training materials to determine whether they had integrated comprehensive sustainability education plans aligned with the tenets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. The review played a crucial role in overseeing how preservice teacher education in Namibia prepared future teachers with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to teach different subjects together in the classroom. Interdisciplinary responses were crucial for tackling the country's complex challenges, including sustainability, environmental degradation, resource management, and economic and social inequalities. This research examined the significance of combining various subjects in the teaching of sustainable education. It focused on integrating sustainability concepts, adopting hands-on teaching approaches across multiple subjects, and ensuring that curriculum content aligns with Namibia's educational requirements. Inclusion criteria reviewed, revised course content published in 2022 and implemented in 2023. It also examined whether the content complied with the national education policy, specifically the National Curriculum for Basic Education (NCBE), and whether it effectively promoted critical thinking and problem-solving skills among preservice teachers. The review identified best practices and areas where the course content, teaching methodologies, and teacher training materials did not align with the sustainability objectives. Additionally, recommendations were made to improve teacher training courses to better equip teachers with the skills to integrate sustainability across different subjects. The report identified major gaps in the integration of formalised sustainability education across qualifications, and the need for better coordination between subjects and for curriculum changes to align teacher training with the Sustainable Development Goals.