Education for sustainable development from the lenses of Malaysian school leaders: a preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose

The issue of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been on the rise in recent years, with concerns being raised by various stakeholders about its potential effects on education and the environment. However, little research has been done into school leaders' fundamental challenges in addressing ESD.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative, single-case study was embarked on to examine the experiences of Malaysian school leaders who actively engaged ESD in their schools. The data were collected by using semi-structured interviews among four school leaders in schools involved in Johor Sustainable Education Action Plan (JSEAP). A thematic analysis was used to understand the challenges and later drive the strategy used to overcome those challenges.

Findings

This preliminary study revealed that the principals perceived the ESD's four main challenges: encouraging positive thinking and passion, acquiring ESD knowledge, developing system thinking, and curriculum adaptation. Based on this study's findings, school leaders need to make concerted efforts to overcome these challenges, such as finding best practices, encompassing support systems, and exploring innovative partnerships to address ESD effectively in their schools.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited to a case analysis of the selected schools and cannot be generalized to a larger population.

Practical implications

The results of the study may be of interest to other school leaders and educators who are concerned about ESD and its role in their schools, as well as to other academics who are interested in the topic of ESD and the challenges faced by school leaders in implementing sustainable practices.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study investigating ESD challenges in the Malaysian context. The novel finding helps the readers understand the recent phenomena of ESD implementation better and, at the same time, compare it to other settings.

Citation

Zainal Abidin, M.S., Mokhtar, M. and Arsat, M. (2023), "Education for sustainable development from the lenses of Malaysian school leaders: a preliminary study", Asian Education and Development Studies, Vol. 12 No. 2/3, pp. 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-01-2023-0011

Introduction

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been at the forefront of UNESCO's agenda since the organization's founding in the 1990s. ESD has always been vital to excellent education and lifelong learning (Elfert, 2019). ESD is a worldwide movement that is also occurring in Malaysia. The education system in Malaysia is undergoing significant change, and the ESD reform is anticipated to be the sector's next big thing. Several decades ago, ESD was adopted in Malaysian public schools, and since 2015, schools have been using pedagogical approaches to teach the three pillars of sustainability (Mokshein, 2019). The mild incline toward ESD is shown in the 2016 revision of the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah (KSSM) curriculum, which added ESD as a new elective course titled Foundational Studies in Sustainability (Balakrishnan, 2021). Many additional programs have been launched in Malaysian education, including Pendidikan Kelestarian (Environmental Education), the Green School Award, the Sustainable Schools and Environment Award (SLAAS), and the Johor Sustainable Education Action Plan (JSEAP) 2019–2023. ESD was also highlighted in the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013–2025 as a crucial component of a well-balanced school ecology for students. The blueprint aligns with the SDG 4 declaration and national curriculum goals to ensure that future generations can contribute to sustainable economic, social, and environmental development (Zakaria et al., 2021). Following global initiatives, ESD has been described in Malaysian education as aiding students in acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to address environmental challenges. Nonetheless, there is a significant knowledge gap on some ESD implementation issues, particularly from the perspective of school leaders and teachers regarding the process of integrating new curriculum, ESD, and their roles within the school's ecosystem (Leo and Wickenberg, 2014; Müller et al., 2020; Redman et al., 2021; Timm and Barth, 2020).

Literature review

Introducing the concept of ESD: school leaders' dilemma

Introducing a new concept or a collective vision has always been resisted by a few people who have become accustomed to their everyday practice. Resistance to change is one of the challenges of ESD identified in various studies (Abd Rahman et al., 2020; Winter and Cotton, 2012). Educational leaders encountered difficulties with the ESD program, mainly when it was first implemented in schools (Nousheen et al., 2020). Many school leaders have encountered resistance for reasons that range from concerns over time constraints and lack of professional development to debates over sustainability as an ideology and ESD as indoctrination (Cebrián and Junyent, 2015). As ESD is a relatively new concept, many teachers have received no training, highlighting the need for continuing professional development courses (Moore et al., 2019).

Leaders are creating sustainable, inclusive, and equitable schools for all children. However, implementing ESD in schools is difficult, and school administrators confront too many challenges for a single plan to work. The barriers have forced school leaders to figure out how to integrate ESD into their curriculum and pedagogy and how to explain these complex ideas to teachers and students. Considering the tough challenges, ESD has become an inextricable aspect of leadership on both large and small scales, requiring committed ESD leaders (Burns et al., 2015). School leaders also play a crucial role in promoting sustainable schools because, ideally, they can translate strategy into action, align individuals and organizations, and establish effective intervention points. Nevertheless, ESD is not entirely “optimal” in Malaysian schools (Balakrishnan, 2021), and the role of school leaders in ESD is frequently disregarded (Verhelst et al., 2021). The complexities of implementing ESD have elevated the significance of school leadership (Zachariou et al., 2013).

In addition, studies of ESD in Malaysia indicate that the country's current education system does not strongly encourage the new concept of ESD in the existing curriculum (Aini and Laily, 2010; Mahat et al., 2016; Yusof et al., 2022). The inconsistency of the ESD definition continues to deter school leaders from understanding and implementing the concept (Abidin et al., 2023). Other studies have indicated that due to a lack of resources and ESD expertise among teachers, the change that the Malaysian Ministry of Education projected through environmental education has not been completely implemented within the curriculum (Mohammad Zohir, 2009; Yusof et al., 2022). Another study (Shaafi et al., 2021) showed average awareness of environmental issues among primary school principals in Kuala Lumpur. These studies resulted in moderate to weak indications due to ESD as mainly proportional rather than procedural, meaning that teachers' knowledge does not influence their behaviors (Karpudewan et al., 2013). A study by Abidin et al. (2023) indicated that the readiness of principals to enact ESD goals relies on their knowledge of ESD, which is still underdeveloped. The limits of what they know about the environment are more important to them than an excellent idea of sustainable development, which includes the environment, the economy, and society.

Theoretical perspectives

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the urgency of addressing environmental issues, ESD has become a central concern for many educators and policymakers. However, the implementation of ESD can present significant challenges for school leaders. Figure 1 depicts the Pro-Environmental Behavior (PEB) model developed by Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002), which serves as the study's framework.

The PEB model is conscious actions performed by an individual (the school leaders in this study) to lessen the negative impact of human activities on the environment or enhance the quality of the environment. The PEB model is based on the premise that people's behavior is shaped by their attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control. This model examines barriers to acting pro-environmental or formulating interventions to shift habitual behaviors towards more environmentally friendly practices (Mateer et al., 2022). According to the model, pro-environmental behavior is more likely to occur when individuals have a positive attitude toward the environment, perceive social norms that support pro-environmental behavior, and feel they control their behavior. The model also identifies factors that can influence these three main components. The PEB model can assist in identifying the factors that influence pro-environmental behavior and developing methods to overcome them. The model offers a valuable framework for understanding pro-environmental behavior in ESD closely related to the study's objectives.

Studies on ESD among school leaders

Studies on ESD in Malaysia primarily focused on the teachers and students, ranging from awareness, readiness, and competencies. However, the lack of study on the position of school leaders in ESD challenges, competencies, strategies, and development is a profound concern, yet a warrant for further investigation. The research on ESD is expanding, but empirical evidence on its impact and outcomes on the role of school management remains extremely limited (Verhelst et al., 2021). There is a missing link in the discourse around ESD's empirical studies, where practitioners' decisions and implementation strategies are heavily based on policy recommendations and gut feelings (Sinakou et al., 2019). How the school organization supports ESD implementation has received little research attention, despite extensive acknowledgment of its importance in ESD implementation (Leo and Wickenberg, 2014). Despite the global encouragement for ESD and the acknowledgment of the school principal's role as a critical component in ESD implementation, research on the latter is still at an early stage (Verhelst et al., 2021).

There is also evidence that very few studies have conceptualized the implementation of ESD at an organizational level, an area of research that continues to be poorly investigated (Kuzmina et al., 2020). A study by Müller et al. (2021) in schools in Germany, Macau, and the US shows that empirical data on ESD are relatively scarce. The introduction of ESD entered its fourth decade, and the progress in ESD is monitored and reported by governments and non-profit agencies at local and international levels. However, until now, there is little empirical evidence of the extent to which ESD is implemented in schools (Icihnose, 2019). From a specific perspective, more research is needed to determine the roles and characteristics of school leaders in ESD. While there is a substantial body of literature on ESD, the role of principals in implementing sustainability and ESD in schools has received scant attention (Müller et al., 2020). The role of school leadership in implementing sustainability and ESD in schools has also rarely been studied in Malaysia, and the literature is scanty (Hassanuddin et al., 2020; Mokshein, 2019). Empirical studies on ESD are insufficient to draw any conclusions about the status and progress of its implementation in the Malaysian context. The literature mentioned above on the problems and present state of the ESD program has led to an opportunity to determine the school leaders' live perspective on the implementation of the ESD program, particularly in the Malaysian context. Thus, this preliminary study was conducted to gain insight into this concern. Two research questions guide this study:

1. How do Malaysian school administrators perceive the challenges of implementing ESD?

2. What are the strategies they planned to overcome the ESD challenges?

Methodology

Participants for the qualitative studies were selected through non-probability purposive sampling. In case-study research, purposive sampling is the ideal technique because subjects are chosen based on their representativeness (Etikan et al., 2016) and allows the researchers to sample cases or individuals that differ in some characteristics or traits and display different dimensions of those traits (Crowe et al., 2011). Purposive sampling for special or unique cases is a sampling strategy where subjects are chosen because of their attributes and characteristics of unique cases that meet the research needs (Bogdan et al., 2016). Rather than starting with the smallest study group size and working toward the population, it is preferable to determine the population first and then specify the unit of analysis to work with (Merriam, 2009). This study is on a larger population of school leaders in Johor state, which consists of more than 1,400 schools. The population then focused on 403 schools actively involved in the JSEAP program. Four school leaders participating in JSEAP 2019–23 were selected as informants. This study is conducted in Johor's schools because the JSEAP program is specially tailored for schools in Johor as of 2023 and has not yet been introduced to other states.

The JSEAP 2019–2023 was initiated by the Johor State Education Department in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) in the year 2018. The program aims to inspire students and schools in Johor to practice sustainable education at the grass-root level and to promote sustainable living for future generations. Activities derived from this action plan include recycling, capacity building, and green community involvement through sub-program such as Iskandar Malaysia Eco-life Challenge, Problem-Based Learning for Low Carbon Society, RCE Iskandar Sustainable and Low Carbon Schools Exhibition (Phang, 2019). The Action Plan was developed to align with the Johor Sustainable Development Plan 2030 (JSDP2030) by the Johor state government. JSPD2030 encompasses eight core thrusts as a reference document for the state leadership, government administration, industry, local leaders, and related parties toward realizing the development strategy drawn up for the next eight years.

This study is based on a qualitative research design and single-case study approach using semi-structured interviews for data collection. The single-case study approach is advantageous when there is a need to obtain an in-depth appreciation of an issue, event, or phenomenon of interest in its natural, real-life context. In a single case study, researchers examined a case to understand the similarities and differences between the units of analysis. A single case study mainly focuses on an individual case (JSEAP program) instead of multiple case studies. Miles et al. (2014) proposed that a multiple-case study is recommended when the researchers are interested in using contrasting observations to provide more insight into propositions and replication of the findings. Single case studies emphasizing school leaders who participated in JSEAP are used in this study because of the ability to find similarities and replication. This approach requires that the researcher be able to participate in the event being studied and to listen carefully, with a critical understanding of what is being said and a sensitivity towards what is being heard. The case study approach involves “participation from within” (Knapik, 2006). For example, findings can be derived from the data collected through interviews and other input forms.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open-ended questions on school leaders' roles, competencies, challenges, and strategies in ESD. This study's central question is: “What do you know about your role as the school leader in managing ESD?” The researchers are focused on ensuring that the interview questions are constructed to answer the research questions. The study's other part, ESD strategies, will emerge later, guided by this central question. Four analytical samples from the interviewed school leaders were gathered, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The researchers first categorized all recurrent codes into themes, occurring concurrently and iteratively in a “recurrent theme analysis” (Miles et al., 2014). Atlas.ti, a rich text analysis platform, aided the data analysis. The next step is to conclude the code by reviewing and defining themes. Finally, the themes were interpreted in writing based on the formulated research questions.

Results

The interview durations were between 32 and 77 minutes and aimed not to exceed 90 minutes, including the social conversation. All participants can discuss freely based on the questions, and researchers used probing questions to elicit further in-depth information. Table 1 below describes the interviewed participants.

The information obtained from the four semi-structured interviews was coded at four levels. In this study, the researchers rigorously interpreted the first through third levels of coding and did not disclose this in the finding table. The fourth level of coding was displayed to demonstrate its relationship to the emerging themes. As a result, Table 2 summarizes seven emerging themes.

The findings indicated that implementing ESD was a significant event, and the participants explained their roles and promoted various solutions to overcome the obstacles. Encouraging positive thinking and passion in ESD are emerging themes. The participants suggest, “We must give enhancement and empowerment to the teachers because it is not impossible to introduce ESD.” It reflects on the roles of school leaders in positively accepting this (Ros). Participants also stated that “leaders must be positive, optimists toward ESD, or it will not work” (Lee). A notable remark was observed regarding the passion in ESD: “ … a school leader must be the first one to act, be proactive, and be passionate about making the ESD program a successful program” (Khadijah). Passion for ESD is one of the essential roles school leaders play in taking ESD positively as the first step to making the ESD program accepted by teachers, students, and the community.

The next repeatedly noted in the transcripts was collective system thinking within organizations. This second emerging theme depicts school leaders' most important role in taking ESD positively as the first step to making the ESD program accepted by teachers, students, and the community. Kamarul mentioned: “As a principal, I must show them how to act and react positively.” The demand for high knowledge of ESD from teachers and school administrators was mentioned in the interviews. School leaders emphasized the importance of understanding ESD. They also showed concern for their ability to digest the basic concept of ESD, the most crucial foundation, before embarking on the program. For example, “To me, sustainability is something massive; we bring everything together“ (Kamarul). The interdependence of the pillars of ESD is also notable from the participants' knowledge, as they stated, “ … everything is related to each other” (Lee). It is evidence that school leaders know the complex relationships among ESD elements. Therefore, they aim to simplify the information in their vision, hoping teachers can deliver the knowledge. Figure 2 below exhibits the code-informant frequency for the two themes.

The next theme analyzed is system thinking. A school is considered to have system thinking when everybody shares the vision, develops mutual belief and trust, and can cascade down the picture to the next leaders. The informant highlighted the importance of vision in leading a successful ESD program: “ … the leaders' vision must be clear, as for me, the vision will lead the way for the school” (Kamarul). Creating an organization's system thinking issue was rooted in collective thinking, shared vision, and succession planning nodes, which occur multiple times. System thinking is also developed based on good relations within organizations. Another emerging theme that participants have repeatedly described is adapting ESD into the current curriculum. The school leaders agreed that ESD is feasible but faced difficulty fitting it into the existing curriculum. For example, the problem they experienced was described in detail: “In education, we have cross-curriculum elements, but it takes teacher creativity to relate everything we learn to other things” (Kamarul). Furthermore, they found it hard to fit ESD into the curriculum because teachers were inexperienced. However, they remain optimistic about the prospects for the ESD's viability, as follows: “We may insert this sustainability program in any appropriate subject” (Ros). Figure 3 exhibits the code-informant frequency for the two themes. The most prominent link between the theme and informants' co-occurrence (on average) is high on adapting to the curriculum (informants A1 and A2), while system thinking co-occurrence significantly increases among informants A1 and A3.

The study also discovered multiple strategies school leaders used, including finding a solid support system and exploring potential strategic partnerships. For example, they stated that the initiative of the Parents and Community Involvement (PIBK) is essential and has become an excellent strategy to promote the benefits of ESD, as in “ … and if we know we can introduce it not only to students and teachers but also to the PIBK” (Ros). Another excerpt is, “ … we introduce to the PIBK that this school is a sustainable school, we explain to them if the students can show the simplest example like collecting cans, we will get support, and indirectly we will give knowledge ” (Khadijah). This strategy can be challenging because “the main challenge is when we fail in introducing it to the outside world. Introducing ESD beyond the school gate is the big problem for us to figure out” (Ros). However, they are always upbeat and believe that, despite the challenges, they can form an intelligent partnership with the agencies: “But there is no problem because we have to create partnerships” (Lee). Figure 4 exhibits the code-informant frequency for the three themes.

Discussion

RQ1.

How do Malaysian school administrators perceive the challenge of implementing ESD?

The study and interpretation of data on the issues faced by school leaders were organized into individual and system challenges, as summarized in Figure 5. The individual challenge is the intrinsic challenge that school leaders must face from a personal standpoint, which includes high knowledge of ESD, positive thinking and passion for ESD. The system challenge is administrative control beyond the school leaders' capacity but within their accountability, including the organization's system thinking and adapting ESD to the curriculum.

Individual challenges

All informants emphasized a strong connection between the need for high knowledge of ESD to their day-to-day practice of ESD. The repeating mentions on the level of knowledge of ESD were recorded in the data as a sign of the uttermost important feature in designing a successful ESD school. This notion hypothesizes that the epicentre of ESD is the school leaders (Zachariou et al., 2013). They must have a comprehensive knowledge of sustainable development, ESD, and their role in creating sustainable schools (Holden et al., 2014; Zachariou et al., 2013). However, school leaders' perspectives on the contradiction of the ESD definition and knowledge continue to prevent them from comprehending and implementing the concept. A study by Soysal (2016) also found a similar pattern. While school leaders are aware of and have positive attitudes toward sustainable development, their fundamental knowledge of its principles is highly needed. Soysal's study also indicates that respondents' perceived level of ESD knowledge is low. Another study (Desfandi et al., 2016) concurred that school leaders get used to the descriptions of ESD but are not profoundly familiar with the term. The low level of ESD familiarization could result in a lack of engagement and participation from teachers and students and limited progress towards sustainability goals.

The study also reported a lack of opportunities for professional development and training in ESD, which is one reason why school leaders may not have the skills and knowledge necessary to integrate ESD into the school's curriculum and culture effectively. A survey by Dzyatkovskaya et al. (2020) found it familiar to find disoriented ESD teachers lacking concrete professional instructions and educational technologies for ESD. In addition, they have a poor understanding of the distinction between ESD and education about sustainable development. The various responses of school leaders to the integration of sustainability in schools lead to the conclusion that school leaders have a hazy understanding of what ESD is (Iliško and Badyanova, 2014). The hazy conception and knowledge of ESD further questioned school leaders' ability to implement ESD in school effectively. School leaders of this study mentioned that they may not have had exposure to ESD principles and practices during their own education or professional development, resulting in a lack of familiarity with ESD and its potential benefits. Several studies corroborate with this study that school leaders must have a comprehensive awareness of sustainable development and ESD and their role in establishing sustainable schools (Ndiaye et al., 2019).

ESD allows students to develop critical thinking skills, engage with complex global issues, and develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and society. However, it is evidence that school leaders with little passion for ESD may miss opportunities to incorporate ESD into the curriculum and student learning experiences. The introduction of international policies and reports, such as the SDGs and the UNESCO Global Action Programme, in demonstrating the significance of ESD in the global education agenda is vital to improving awareness and passion (Shulla et al., 2020). The SDGs provide a clear framework for action, which can help school leaders understand the importance of ESD and how it fits into the larger global development agenda.

System challenges

The introduction of ESD, through policy documents and principals, is a top-down operation. In common practice, the educational system is centralized regarding the school's curriculum, timetable, and funding, limiting school leaders' authority to grant ESD programs any support outside the system's structural parameters (Pashiardis, 2013). Jackson (2019) perceived the centralization and rigidity of the formal education structure as a significant barrier. Nations with a highly centralized education system have minimal autonomy in redirecting the engagement on ESD as the school demands. Furthermore, the educational system is centralized regarding the school's curriculum, timetable, and funding, limiting school leaders' authority in granting ESD programs any support outside the system's structural parameters for school leaders (Pashiardis, 2013). Curriculum always guides schools with predefined goals by the education authority (Mogren and Gericke, 2019). To make a large-scale impact and create lasting change, ESD must be fully integrated purposely into the school curriculum (O'Brien and Howard, 2016). In Malaysia, a few studies indicate that the country's current education system does not positively encourage the existing curriculum (Aini and Laily, 2010; Hassanuddin et al., 2020; Mahat et al., 2016). Other studies have indicated a limited number of formal environmental education (EE) subjects or courses at any educational level that can deliver the ESD topic precisely (Nizar et al., 2019). This current education system is a standpoint for this study to highlight the importance of an ESD-friendly curriculum incorporated into the curriculum.

It was observed that an organization's system thinking plays a vital role in bringing ESD to meet its objectives effectively. System thinking is strategic planning idealized by the school leaders to ensure all teachers understand and follow the vision of ESD. Systems thinking is a powerful concept that encourages a shift from linear thinking to a more interconnected and dynamic perspective (Voulvoulis et al., 2022). It recognizes that various components within a system are interconnected and influence each other. A repeated measure of school leaders in this study defining system thinking as a principal role in creating a path to a successful ESD program justifies the need to empower the system. The system thinking elements include shared vision and collective thinking to make a good succession plan and equip school leaders to adapt and respond to changing circumstances (Egana del Sol, 2019). As sustainability challenges evolve, leaders embracing systems thinking can effectively adjust strategies and incorporate new knowledge and practices. Principals create a shared vision related to ESD within their schools, organize a participative process, emphasize ESD daily, support teachers in applying ESD, and facilitate students' engagement (Müller et al., 2021). Systems thinking indeed highlights the interconnectedness of different aspects of education.

RQ2.

What strategies did they plan to overcome the ESD challenges?

School leaders are always looking for ways to improve their schools. They want to ensure their students get the best education possible, although it comes with individual and system challenges. Results from this study indicate that school leaders were striving to provide a solid support system and exploring potential strategic partnerships to counter the ESD challenges. Figure 6 shows the connections between the individual and system challenges to the strategies devised to overcome the challenges.

To foster the concept of making sustainable schools, they get external support and continue to build a deep network with communities and other organizations as part of the strategies. In this study, school leaders acquire high knowledge of ESD through strategic partnerships with organizations specializing in ESD. These collaborations can give school leaders tools, training, and experience to help them better understand ESD and implement effective practices in their schools. A strategic relationship between schools and local environmental organizations is one example. Schools can partner with these organizations to learn about local environmental issues and develop projects that address them. Another example of a strategic partnership is the partnership between schools and universities. Universities often have research centres specializing in ESD and can provide school leaders with access to cutting-edge research, training, and expertise. Although a shortage of community engagement limits the support system (Laurie et al., 2016), they started to shift to getting experts in ESD. School leaders share power by recruiting stakeholders' participation in guiding school development and enacting distributed leadership while building the relationship as social capital and soliciting community support to improve teaching and learning strategy in ESD. School leaders may struggle to implement ESD initiatives effectively without support from the school's governing body, communities or other institutional stakeholders. It requires schools to overcome isolation from society and promote personal and social change by reorienting their operations, curriculum, and pedagogy. Cook (2014), in his study, added that the lack of apparent priority for ESD within many local authorities and, therefore, insufficient support was observed as a significant barrier and demotivating school leaders to take ESD initiative forward.

Strong collaboration and establishing a group of experts in ESD is a process of institutionalizing the school program to ensure the schools are ready to cope with any changes in ESD. Institutionalizing ESD through good organizational practices should be emphasized instead of depending on committed individuals who are the typical ESD implementation drivers at schools (Forssten Seiser et al., 2022). UNECE (2012) highlighted the critical issue of implementing ESD in formal education. When schools try to implement an ESD model in their classrooms, they must understand that this effort is a long-term process. It may take years to see the results of their actions, so they must remain committed to the process. The principal's role is substantial in assisting teachers to develop ESD pedagogical strategies that match the existing curriculum and establishing the school as an environmental agent within the community (Goolamally and Ahmad, 2014). Teachers' expertise in ESD is critical because they can define the feasibility of the strategy chosen to introduce ESD into the classroom. Growing numbers of teachers and school leaders are interested in developing sustainability in their schools and maximizing the educational opportunities that engaging with sustainability offers (Carbach and Fischer, 2017).

Conclusion

This paper discusses sustainable development challenges from the lenses of school leaders in Malaysia, how they can be integrated into the curriculum, and the impact such integration can have on society and the environment. As perceived by the school leaders, ESD's individual and system challenges can positively contribute to devising strategies for further improvement. Furthermore, there is much to be learned for understanding and assessing ESD challenges in a school setting, such as appropriate tracking, monitoring, evaluating, and understanding the synergies with stakeholders and communities. The findings in this study can be a foundation for creating a new ESD approach, training strategies, and intervention practices aimed at optimizing knowledge within existing ESD schools or the future new ESD school model, primarily in redirecting school leaders towards successful ESD implementation. More research-based evidence is needed to venture deeper into a broader scope of challenges, for example, going beyond this study's limitations. Due to their nature, ESD's individual and system challenges are not limited to only one specific program (JSEAP). However, they can spark broader discussions and involve all stakeholders to consider and create change.

Figures

Figure 1

Pro-environmental behavior (PEB)

Figure 2

Code-informant frequency of positive thinking-passion and high knowledge in ESD

Figure 3

Code-informant frequency of system thinking and adapting ESD to the curriculum

Figure 4

Code-informant frequency of strategies in ESD

Figure 5

Challenges of ESD among Malaysia school leaders

Figure 6

Linking ESD challenges and strategies

Table 1

School leaders' profile for preliminary study

Label	Pseudonym	Position	Experience in ESD	Medium	Duration (minutes)
A1	Ros	Principal	5	Meet-up	53
A2	Kamarul	Principal	12	Online	77
A3	Khadijah	Sen. asst. teacher	4	Online	32
A4	Lee	Principal	7	Meet-up	52

Source(s): Created by authors

Table 2

Emerging themes

Level 4 coding	Themes
Learn to accept positively	Encouraging positive thinking and passion in ESD
Proactive and passionate
Collective thinking	Creating an organization's system of thinking
Shared vision
Succession plan
Teacher's knowledge of ESD	High knowledge of ESD
School leader's knowledge of ESD
Understanding the concept of ESD
Awareness on the knowledge of ESD
Curriculum flexibility	Adapting ESD to the curriculum
ESD across curriculum
Linking ESD in exam-based curriculum
Workload challenge
Introducing ESD Strategies	Best practices
Real-world application
Rewards and encouragement
School's support	Strong Support System
Community support
Organizational support
Financial support
Strategic Partnership	Exploring Smart Partnership
Collaboration with agencies

Source(s): Created by authors

Funding: This research received no specific grant from public, commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies.