Student Agency in School-Based Sustainability Education: 
Practical Pathways for Participatory Governance and Action

Zibing Yang

doi:10.70711/wef.v4i6.10204

Student Agency in School-Based Sustainability Education: Practical Pathways for Participatory Governance and Action

Zibing Yang

Abstract

Environmental sustainability is increasingly recognised as a core educational concern, yet school responses often remain fragmented or limited to short-term activities. Young people are also frequently positioned as recipients of sustainability education rather than
participants in shaping it. Drawing on research on student voice, youth citizenship, climate justice, and environmental education, this conceptual paper examines how student agency can be embedded more meaningfully in school-based sustainability work. It proposes three
connected pathways: student-led sustainability governance, interdisciplinary project-based learning focused on authentic environmental issues, and long-term school-community partnerships. The paper also identifies conditions for implementation, including inclusive participation, teacher and leadership support, continuity, realistic evaluation, and safeguards against tokenism. Re-centering student agency cannot
guarantee environmental outcomes, but it can make sustainability education more participatory, relevant, and connected to young people's
present lives and future concerns.

Keywords

Student agency; Sustainability education; Student voice; Climate justice; Project-based learning; School governance

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References

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https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2022.2031617

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/wef.v4i6.10204

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