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
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