TEACHERS' SUCCESSES IN LEADING CURRICULUM REPURPOSING FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS THROUGH SCHOOL FOOD GARDENS
Abstract
In the face of persistent challenges such as food insecurity, youth unemployment, and environmental degradation, curriculum repurposing for sustainable livelihoods has become increasingly vital in South Africa. Traditional school curricula often fail to reflect learners’ lived realities, limiting their engagement with local sustainability issues. This study aimed to explore teachers’ successes in leading curriculum repurposing through school food gardens as a practical intervention for education for sustainable development. Anchored in a transformative paradigm, the study adopted a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research design and employed photovoice, digital storytelling, and semistructured interviews with six purposively selected teachers actively involved in school garden initiatives. Thematic analysis guided the interpretation of the data. Findings revealed six key areas of success: enhanced food security, improved nutrition education, development of entrepreneurship and small-scale farming skills, strengthened collaboration across schools, and improved academic performance, particularly in Agricultural Sciences and Environmental Education. These outcomes demonstrate how teachers successfully bridged the gap between abstract curriculum content and real-life sustainability practices, empowering learners as contributors to community resilience. The study recommends formal integration of school gardens into the curriculum, investing in teacher development, enhancing infrastructural support, fostering community partnerships, and scaling best practices through collaboration. Ultimately, the study concludes that school food gardens represent a transformative model for curriculum leadership and a powerful tool for advancing sustainable livelihoods in resourceconstrained contexts.
Keywords
curriculum repurposing, education for sustainable development, entrepreneurship, nutrition education, school food gardens, sustainable livelihoods, teacher leadership
