Service Learning and Education for Sustainable Development: Toward an Integral Pedagogy in Kenyan Catholic Higher Education

Abstract

This paper examines the integration of service learning and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within Kenyan Catholic higher education as a pathway toward integral human development. Adopting a qualitative, conceptual-analytical methodology, the study engages global policy frameworks, Catholic Social Teaching (CST), and selected institutional practices to explore how education can move beyond technical competence toward moral and ecological responsibility. Drawing on illustrative examples from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Tangaza University, and Strathmore University, the paper analyzes how service learning functions as a dialogical pedagogy that links academic inquiry, community engagement, and reflective practice. It argues that service learning, when situated within the ethical and theological vision of CST and aligned with the goals of ESD, contributes to a holistic model of education that fosters human dignity, solidarity, and care for creation. The study further proposes an “integral pedagogy of sustainability” that unites knowledge, values, and action in the pursuit of sustainable transformation. By situating the Kenyan experience within global educational discourse, the paper demonstrates that the convergence of service learning, ESD, and CST offers a coherent framework for reimagining higher education as a catalyst for socially responsible leadership and sustainable development in Africa and beyond.