Assessing the Influence of Policy and Institutional Frameworks on the Effectiveness of Environmental Programmes in Selected Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

Environmental degradation is a major challenge which requires appropriate strategies to reverse the situation. One of such strategies is experiential environmental education in high schools which give students an opportunity to participate in various environmental activities which in turn changes their change of attitudes and conservation behaviour. In this study, the influence of such experiential programmes was assessed with regards to their influence on pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour of high school students in Murang’a County, Kenya. The study also assessed the institutional and policy frameworks on which the programmes are anchored using secondary data mainly through literature review of policy documents. For the effectiveness of environmental programmes in school, nine hundred and sixty-one (961) students from nineteen (19) high schools from two sub-counties in the County were sampled in the study. The Likert type questionnaire and the 2-MEV Scale were used to collect the required data. The t-test statistic was applied to determine any differences between the variables. Results showed significant differences in pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour with regard to solid waste management, water resources management, natural resources management between members of Environmental Clubs and non-members. It is concluded that the experiential environmental programmes improve the student’s pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour and hence environmental management within the schools, they lack the requisite institutional and policy framework to support it enhanced environmental literacy. It is recommended that appropriate policies to enhance the implementation of school experiential environmental programmes be formulated to ensure capacity building of the learners to effectively manage environmental issues in the schools and their community.