Examining the role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in strengthening inclusive education in teacher education: A Vygotskian analysis of change projects from Malawi and Eswatini

Inclusive education has a transformative agenda that challenges education systems to accommodate gender and social class as well as diverse needs that include disability. Despite being emphasised in schools, its application in teacher education has been limited. This gap indicates that while inclusive education is prioritised in schools, teachers may lack pedagogical competencies that have not been allowed for in their training. At the same time, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been recognised for its potential to transform education systems given its orientation towards collaborative learning, whole institution approaches, and respect for diversity. In this study, drawing on experiences from UNESCO's Sustainability Starts with Teachers (SST) programme, I examined the role of ESD in strengthening inclusive education in teacher education. The SST programme encouraged teacher educators in southern Africa to champion ESD practices while focusing on their contextual issues such as inclusivity. Focusing on two Change Projects from Malawi and Eswatini I used Vygotsky's sociocultural learning theory to explore opportunities for inclusivity that emerged from the SST programme. This examination led to strategies for maximising these opportunities in educational institutions and broader national contexts. Methodologically, this study involved interviews and workshops in the two selected Change Projects. The findings suggest that enrolling future teachers with disabilities in teacher education is essential for exemplifying an inclusive educational trajectory in schools. The Change Projects enabled teacher educators to work with ESD practices in developing inclusivity proficiencies in future teachers and ongoing efforts are needed to strengthen inclusive education in teacher education through ESD.