The Level of Awareness of Grade 10 Students in UNESCO-Associated and Non-UNESCO-Associated Governmental Schools in the Sultanate of Oman about the Dimensions of the Purple Economy

Abstract

The study aimed at exploring the level of awareness of grade 10 students about UNESCO associated and non-UNESCO associated government schools in the Sultanate of Oman regarding the dimensions of the purple economy. The study deployed the descriptive approach and data was collected using a 55-item scale. The items were divided into three main components: the cognitive component, the emotional component, and the behavioral component. The validity of the scale was obtained using the correlation coefficient of each dimension with the overall instrument. The correlation coefficient of the cognitive dimension was .40, p ˂ .01, the affective dimension (.82, p ˂ .01), and the behavioral dimension (.41, p ˂ .01). The reliability was checked using internal consistency, with an Alpha coefficient of 0.83. The study was applied to a sample of 1820 grade 10 students. The results concluded that the general level of awareness of grade ten students about the dimensions of the purple economy was low, with the emotional component first, followed by the cognitive component, and then the behavioral component. The results also revealed that there are statistically significant differences for gender (males and females) in all components of the scale in favor of females. Similarly, there are statistically significant differences for tendency toward academic subjects in favor of scientific subjects in all areas of the scale as well. The study recommended including subjects related to the purple economy in the school curricula and adopting specific programs concerned with cultural investment in all public schools, with a focus on UNESCO-Associated schools. Keywords: awareness, purple economy, associated schools, UNESCO, Sultanate of Oman.