Education for Sustainable Development and Its Integration into the Nigerian Curriculum: A Systemic Analysis

This study provides a comprehensive systemic analysis of education for sustainable development integration into the Nigerian curriculum system, examining the philosophical rationale, policy architecture, curriculum content, teacher preparation, and learning outcome implications of ESD in the Nigerian context. Education for sustainable development, as defined by the UNESCO 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, aims to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to contribute to a more sustainable world. Nigeria, facing escalating climate vulnerability, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation alongside developmental pressures, has a compelling interest in robust ESD provision, yet the depth and coherence of ESD integration into the Nigerian curriculum has not been systematically assessed. This study employs a systems thinking research design, mapping ESD content across the primary and secondary curriculum frameworks using qualitative content analysis of all subject syllabi. Teacher ESD competency is assessed through surveys and interviews with 200 teachers across 30 schools in Lagos, Kaduna, and Cross River States. Policy document analysis traces the evolution of ESD in Nigeria's National Policy on Education and curriculum guidelines. An ESD System Quality Index is developed and applied. Results reveal fragmented, surface-level ESD integration concentrated in a few subjects with weak pedagogical depth and absent transformative learning dimensions. Teacher ESD competency is critically low. The study contributes an original ESD Curriculum Systems Model for Nigeria and recommends a comprehensive ESD curriculum reform programme embedding transformative sustainability learning across all subjects and grade levels, supported by mandatory teacher ESD competency certification.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, curriculum integration, Nigeria, ESD, sustainability education.