Infusion Of Environmental Education In Secondary School Science Curricula In Pakistan

Abstract

Environmental education (EE) is an important tool for preventingenvironmental problems and sustainable development and is very important for countries where financialresources for addressing environmental issues are limited. In such countries, the role of contentsof school curriculum is crucial in implementingand sustaining environment-based education. As part of the strategy for raising environmental awareness with responsible attitudes amongst the population through the formal school system andto implement its National Education Policy, theFederal government has infused environmental aspects inprimary, elementary and secondary education curricula. Present study aimed at assessing the levels of infusion of the environment related contents inthe textbooks of Biology, Chemistry and Physics developed by Federal Board Intermediate and Secondary Education for class 9th and 10th. The study design was based on review and examinationagainst Bloom’s Taxonomy for infusion of environmental component in secondary education’s science curricula. The level of infusion is assessed against index score implying 59 attributes divided in three categories of ‘environmental knowledge’, ‘environmental skills’ and ‘environmental attitude’. Findings indicated that more emphasis is on knowledge (cognitive domain) component about environmental problems than the component of skills (psych motive domain) and very little emphasis is on common attitudes (affective domain) towards environment.The study also identified gaps with reference to developing problem solving skills and environmental appreciation among students. It has been concluded that the integration of environmental aspects is not balanced in the existing science education curricula at secondary level. Thepaper suggestsan assessment of competences of teachers to deliver such component and knowledge of students against infused environmental education contents.