While elements of sustainability exist in the curriculum, they are too often taught as isolated concepts rather than as economically relevant, real-world skills. In a decade that will be defined by climate transition and structural economic change, that gap has material consequences, writes Kamryn Smith.
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I was the student who occasionally drifted off during geography class.
Not because I lacked access or quality teaching. I attended a private school where sustainability and climate change were already part of the curriculum, and where Geography teachers engaged seriously with environmental systems, climate risk and long-term global trends. I understood the content. What I did not yet grasp was its economic and practical significance.
At the time, sustainability felt theoretical. Important, but distant from the realities of jobs, markets and daily decision-making. I did not imagine that those lessons would one day underpin a career in renewable energy, or that they would shape debates about South Africa’s power system, investment priorities and long-term competitiveness.
In lieu of International Day of Education, that personal irony reflects a broader structural issue in South Africa’s education system. While elements of sustainability exist in the curriculum, they are too often taught as isolated concepts rather than as economically relevant, real-world skills. In a decade that will be defined by climate transition and structural economic change, that gap has material consequences.
South Africa is entering a period of profound adjustment. Labour markets are evolving at the same time as the country is being compelled to transition its energy system and adapt to escalating climate risks. These processes are deeply interconnected. The skills required to navigate them will determine who participates meaningfully in the economy.
The green economy is already emerging as a significant source of employment growth. Estimates suggest South Africa could generate between 85 000 and 275 000 green jobs by 2030, including approximately 140 000 jobs in solar energy alone. Government-led initiatives under the Just Energy Transition framework and green public employment programmes are already creating more than 120 000 work opportunities over five years, many targeted at young people and first-time entrants into the labour market.
Yet this opportunity sits alongside a sobering reality. South Africa’s official unemployment rate remains above 32%, while youth unemployment for those aged 15 to 24 exceeds 60%. In this context, the failure to align basic education with emerging economic sectors is not a theoretical concern. It is a structural risk.
Despite sustainability featuring in parts of the curriculum, climate and environmental education remain uneven and often insufficiently linked to economic outcomes. Learners may understand climate change as a scientific phenomenon, but not as a driver of investment decisions, infrastructure development, energy pricing or employment patterns. This disconnect contributes to a growing green skills gap at precisely the moment when demand for these skills is accelerating.
Green skills are not ‘extras’
Critics will rightly point out that South Africa’s basic education system faces more immediate challenges. Literacy and numeracy outcomes remain uneven, schools are under-resourced, classrooms are overcrowded, and teacher support is inconsistent. In this context, calls to introduce new priorities can appear unrealistic.
But sustainability and green skills should not be viewed as additional burdens. They are increasingly foundational competencies.
Much like digital literacy, climate and sustainability literacy will shape employability, household resilience and civic participation. In a country grappling with energy insecurity, water scarcity and climate-related shocks, a lack of environmental literacy carries tangible economic and social costs. With more than 13 million learners currently enrolled in the basic education system, the scale of both the challenge and the opportunity is significant.
The issue is not about introducing a new subject, but about strengthening relevance within existing ones. Energy concepts taught in physics can be grounded in the realities of electricity supply and cost. Geography can link climate impacts to local economic activity and infrastructure. Business Studies can explore the circular economy and sustainable finance. Life Orientation can embed systems thinking and long-term decision-making.
There is also a clear equity dimension.
If green skills remain concentrated within private education, tertiary institutions and corporate training programmes, the benefits of the green transition will accrue unevenly. Those most exposed to climate risk will remain least equipped to participate in emerging economic opportunities.
The role of grassroots training
Encouragingly, elements of green skills development are already taking place outside formal schooling. Community-based programmes, NGO initiatives and industry partnerships are providing practical training in areas such as solar installation, energy efficiency and climate resilience. These programmes demonstrate that green skills can be taught in accessible, applied ways.
However, grassroots training alone cannot deliver scale or consistency. It remains dependent on funding cycles, organisational capacity and geography. Without integration into the formal education system, its impact will remain fragmented.
This is where basic education becomes critical.
When sustainability is embedded within schools, grassroots initiatives become complements rather than substitutes. Formal education provides reach and continuity. Community-based training provides relevance and application. Together, they create clearer pathways into emerging sectors.
A call to action for the Department of Basic Education
The Department of Basic Education is uniquely positioned to close this gap.
The task is not wholesale curriculum reform, but targeted modernisation. Sustainability and green skills should be made explicit, practical and economically relevant across subjects. Teachers require updated training and support, and stronger linkages should be built between schools, industry, higher education institutions and existing grassroots programmes.
Most importantly, learners must be shown how sustainability translates into economic opportunity and long-term resilience, not only environmental responsibility.
South Africa’s learners are already living with the consequences of climate change and energy transition. The education system must now equip them to participate meaningfully in the economy that is taking shape.
Kamryn Smith is a senior stakeholder manager of Zero Carbon Charge.
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