Global challenge, local impact? A comparative case study on achieving relevant quality climate change education in teacher training colleges in Malawi

This comparative study addresses the possibility to achieve climate change education (CCE) of good quality in teacher training colleges (TTCs) in Malawi. As one of the poorest countries in the world, together with being heavily reliant on agriculture for both survival and development, Malawi is especially vulnerable to the effects of global warming. There is an urgent need for developing capacity to respond and adapt to these issues, which the educational sector can contribute to. What kind of knowledge and capacity is considered relevant, and how well prepared is the education system for integrating CCE into the teaching? As an education system only is as good as its teachers, this study is set out to explore the possibilities for achieving CCE of good quality in three TTCs. The Government of Malawi is currently implementing climate change learning into the education system, making this study feasible and appropriate. A qualitative multiple case study has been carried out on three TTCs around Malawi. The primary focus has been teachers’ and administrators’ knowledge and perceptions on climate change, as well as their perceptions on the current teaching practice. Data was collected through focus group and semi-structured interviews with educators, administrative staff, second year students and key informants, as well as through fieldwork observations and secondary analysis. Data was gathered during a six week fieldwork period. The analysis has been guided by UNESCOs framework for understanding quality, combined with a locally adapted framework for understanding climate change knowledge in the Malawian context. The main findings indicate that most of the respondents in all three cases share similar views on climate change: displaying knowledge attached to what is considered locally relevant and an urge to expand their teaching practice on the topic. Teachers’ perceptions on their classroom practice suggested a gap between the intended and implemented contemporary curriculum. All colleges met the same type of perceived challenges in their current teaching on environmental issues, although they faced different financial prerequisites. Both college and individual level indicate a promising foundation for building CCE capacity, but for quality CCE to be achieved, colleges need to start timely and the topic must be a part of the national assessment. CCE alone cannot overcome the threats of climate change. A holistical approach is needed, where national contextua