From 2018 to 2023, UNESCO’s Regional Office for Southern Africa, with funding from Sida, implemented the Sustainability Starts with Teachers (SST) programme—an ambitious regional initiative designed to strengthen Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)across teacher education and TVET institutions in 11 SADC countries. Focused on SDG 4.7, the programme set out to ensure that educators were equipped to teach knowledge, values, and skills that promote sustainable development, climate resilience, and social well‑being.
At the heart of the programme was a multi‑layered capacity-building model, combining an advanced regional ESD training course, continuous mentoring through Reference Group Members, and the creation of institutional Change Projects driven by Communities of Practice. Over the five years, 486 educators from 140 institutions completed the intensive regional course, contributing to more than 180 Change Projects that reached over 83,000 students and thousands more community beneficiaries.
The Change Projects became engines of transformation—modernising curricula, introducing sustainability-focused modules, redesigning assessment systems, and integrating Indigenous knowledge, inclusive pedagogies, and whole‑institution greening approaches. Educators across the region reported shifts toward participatory, inquiry‑based learning and real-world problem solving. In several cases, institutions revised mission statements, improved environmental practices, and embedded sustainability into teaching, assessment, and campus life.
A major milestone of the SST programme was its policy impact. Guided by regional dialogues facilitated with SADC, the programme contributed to the creation and ministerial adoption of the SADC Regional ESD Strategic Framework (2022–2030). This framework is now shaping national ESD strategies across the region, with nine countries drafting or validating their national plans. The programme also strengthened professional networks, including active alumni groups, national ESD for 2030 working groups, and partnerships with Rhodes University, EEASA, and multiple education ministries.
Through lessons learned—such as overcoming digital barriers during COVID‑19, strengthening inter-ministerial collaboration, and scaling Change Projects—the SST initiative has emerged as a cornerstone for future ESD work in Southern Africa. It now serves as a foundation for rolling out emerging global initiatives such as UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership, Climate Smart Education Initiative and ESD-Net 2030. Ultimately, the programme demonstrated that when teachers lead transformation, sustainability truly begins in the classroom.