Assessment of environmental education and manpower development strategies in Kainji lake national park, Nigeria

Abstract

Irrespective of consistent environmental awareness created by different conservation institutions in Nigeria the level of environmental degradation has remained on the increase. There is therefore an urgent need to investigate the effectiveness of the strategies used for both environmental education, and the development of the environmental educators. Assessment of Environmental Education and Manpower development strategies in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was therefore conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of the strategies; and factors militating against effective environmental education in the park. Data for this study were obtained through personal observations, administrative record, three sets of structured questionnaires and in depth interview with experienced members of staff and knowledgeable indigenes of host communities. A set of questionnaire was administered to thirty percent of staff in the park. The second set was randomly administered to thirty percent of household representatives in ten easily accessible communities bordering the park, while the third was administered to 59% of all students of the Department of Forestry, University of Port Harcourt who visited KLNP for industrial attachment. In all 100 staff members, 403 household representatives and 42 students were sampled. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and frequencies. Environmental education level was rated high in KLNP by staff (82.00%) and student (83.00%) respondents. Strategies of environmental education in the park were listed as industrial attachment (IT)(25.0%), mass media (18.00%), seminars (18.00%), hand bills / fliers (14.00%) and workshop (12.00%) and excursions. As a tool for man power development, Industrial Training (I.T) was rated very effective by staff (79.80%), and student (69.00%) respondents. Also rated effective by staff respondents were In – service training (79.80%) and workshop (67.10%). Majority of the student respondents rated I.T very effective as a man power development strategy. A total of 482 students from 19 higher institutions across different geopolitical zones of Nigeria have participated in I.T. of KLNP between 1979 and 2005, while a total of 22,894 students from different states of Nigeria have visited KLNP in form of excursion, with the highest participation experienced in 1998 (2,591). Also 158 workers of KLNP have participated in different forms of staff empowerment programme between 2004 and 2009, with the highest participation recorded in 2008 (78,48%). More so, 220 staff of KLNP have participated in In – service training between 2000 and 2010. Problems militating against effective environmental education and manpower development in the park were inadequate funding (85%) and low educational level of community dwellers (33.00%).Students’ industrial attachment is the most effective strategy of man power development in KLNP that can have national spread and sustainable impact, while students’ excursion is an effective strategy of also having a sustainable environmental education that spreads across the country. But, at local level, focus discussion and use of radio are the most effective environmental awareness strategy among communities bordering the park, while in – service training and skill acquisition programme for host communities are the most effective man power development strategy.