Climate Change Education in Basic Schools: The Educators’ Lens on Techniques and Challenges

Abstract

Our natural environment is seriously deteriorating which requires continual climate change education. The teacher acts as the conveyor belt in maximizing learners’ knowledge of our natural environment and its repercussions. The study inquired about climate change education in basic school: the role of Social Studies teachers. A mixed-method research design was utilized. A convenience sampling technique was employed for 30 public school Social Studies teachers. Data were collected using instructional methods of teaching climate change questionnaires and nine semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and interpretation. The findings of the study uncovered that the dominant instructional methods employed by Social Studies encompass discussion, field trips, and brainstorming. The challenges that obturate the teaching of climate change include inadequate funds to embark on field trips, inadequate teaching and learning resources, inadequate teachers’ content knowledge, and inadequate time. The study recommended that teachers should practice a learner-centered method of teaching. Also, adequate teaching aids, in-service training, and funds should be provided to enrich teachers’ effective teaching of climate change.