Waste Management Education and Community Environmental Participation as Predictors of Environmental Sustainability Consciousness Among Secondary School Students in Ikom Education Zone, Cross River State Nigeria 0 0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/jete.vol9no1.80Keywords:
Waste management education, recycling awareness, environmental instruction, environmental clubs, community cleanup, environmental sustainability consciousnessAbstract
This study examined waste management education and community environmental participation as predictors of environmental sustainability consciousness among secondary school students in Ikom Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was guided by four research questions and four hypotheses. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 4,801 Senior Secondary School students (SS1–SS3), while a sample of 451 students was selected using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Waste Management Education and Environmental Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire (WMEESCQ) and analyzed using mean and standard deviation for research questions, while multiple regression analysis was used for hypotheses testing at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that awareness of recycling and reuse methods, school-based environmental instruction, involvement in environmental protection groups/clubs, and participation in community clean-up exercises all positively influence environmental sustainability consciousness among secondary school students. The study further showed that school-based environmental instruction had the strongest influence, followed by recycling awareness and environmental club participation, while community clean-up exercises had a moderate influence. The study concluded that both classroom-based environmental education and practical community engagement significantly enhance students’ environmental sustainability consciousness. It was recommended that schools should strengthen environmental education through practical teaching methods, promote active environmental clubs, and enhance students’ participation in community clean-up activities to foster sustainable environmental behaviour.
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