Impact of environmental education Programme on Learners attitude in the selected schools of North West Province of South Africa

Nemutandani Mashudu(1*), Rena ravinder(2),

(1) Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology
(2) 
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


The implementation of environmental education programme within North West Province has a history of over a decade. It is at the backdrop of accountability that a systematic and sound, programme evaluation was initiated through the current study. Hence, the current study primary research problem is to investigate the impact of the environmental education (EE) on attitude towards the environment of youth participating within EE. The qualitative search methodology approach was used with the use of standardised questionnaires.  The sampling was done through same focus group using local vernaculars applicable within North West Province. Independent t-test and one way ANOVA was computed. The findings revealed a comparatively high mean score (M = 49.93, SD = 6.98) attitude towards the environment of youth. The overall mean attitude (M = 2.83, and SD = 0.36) towards the environment was slightly lower compared to post-exposure results from other studies. No significant difference in mean attitude toward the environment as a result of gender and age groups was found. However, a statistical significant difference was found as a result of residential district municipality, with youth from Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality (M = 3.02, SD = 0.41) having a much higher attitude towards the environment than that of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (M =2.80, SD = 0.34). No significant different between Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (M = 2.83, SD = 0.38) and Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (M = 2.79, SD = 0.34) and Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (M =2.80, SD = 0.34). In conclusion the current finds were comparable with post exposure mean scores attitude toward the environment studies, which suggest EE programme impact in attitude towards the environment on youth. It is therefore recommend that a pre- and post- exposure studies be conducted in order to credit impact from the EE programme.


Keywords


environmental attitude; environmental awareness, environmental education,

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31327/jte.v5i1.2866

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