Abstract

Geography education in Singapore has evolved alongside national priorities, shifting toward a concept-based curriculum centred on sustainable development. This paper argues that the effectiveness of sustainability education partly depends on teachers’ underlying philosophical assumptions about geographical knowledge. The current syllabus reflects an interplay of positivistic, humanistic and critical traditions, requiring educators to navigate multiple epistemologies in their teaching. In addition, it is centered around sustainable development as a core anchor for geographical knowledge. As sustainability demands understanding long-term socio-environmental consequences, teachers must intentionally align philosophy, pedagogy and assessment to model conceptual, reflective and critical thinking. Ultimately, geography’s capacity to cultivate sustainability-minded students rests on philosophically aware educators who exercise discernment in classroom practice.

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