Optimising Education for Sustainable Development through Secondary School Teachers with Relevant Subjects, Standards and Training:

India aims to become a developed nation by 2047, emphasizing the role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.This study examines the beliefs of Kerala secondary school teachers regarding ESD, investigating how teaching standards, subjects, and prior ESD training shape their perspectives.A survey of 400 teachers utilized the revised ESD Belief Scale, incorporating demographic considerations.The research examined demographic variables, including teaching level, subject specialization, and previous ESD training.Quantitative analysis encompassed descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA to evaluate beliefs across various groupings.Findings reveal that educators predominantly recognise the significance of ESD in fostering sustainable decision-making and lifelong learning.The discipline taught, especially social sciences in contrast to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is the primary determinant of educators' beliefs towards ESD.Teachers recognise the benefits of ESD, although they encounter obstacles, including restricted curricular integration and implementation.This research addresses ESD within the secondary curriculum in a unique manner, filling a notable gap in both theoretical and empirical literature.The implementation of an updated belief scale and subgroup analyses provides policymakers and curriculum developers with novel perspectives.It is recommended that curriculum reform incorporate ESD throughout all courses, accompanied by specialized teacher training to enhance awareness, skills, and pedagogical techniques for the effective implementation of ESD.Secondary educators in Kerala predominantly advocate for the integration of ESD, particularly within the social sciences.Future policy and research must emphasise curricular innovation and longitudinal assessment to further India's sustainable development objectives.