Influence Of Environmental Clubs On Pupils‟ Environmental Awareness: A Study Of Primary Schools In Mwea Division, Embu County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Environmental awareness is one of the goals of environmental education. Insufficient environmental awareness aggravates the problem of environmental degradation. Environmental clubs in primary schools are voluntary groups that promote participation of learners in learning about and working towards conservation and sustainability of the environment. The study on influence of environmental clubs on environmental awareness of pupils was carried out in Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County. The study investigated environmental knowledge, environmental attitude and taking action for environmental protection as components of environmental awareness. The study objectives were to establish whether environmental clubs members possessed different environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes and taking action for environmental protection when compared to non-environmental club members. Data were collected from a sample of 250 randomly selected respondents by use of questionnaires. The club patrons were interviewed to give information about how the clubs were organised and the activities learners engaged in their respective schools. The data collected were presented in form of tables and graphs. It was analysed using percentages, t-test and Chi-square. On club affiliation and environmental knowledge difference, the study found a t-value of 3.66 which was higher than t-value at p≥0.05. The study concluded that club members and non-club members had different environmental knowledge abilities. On gender affiliation and environmental knowledge, the t-value obtained was 0.07219 which was below the t-value at p≥0.05. The study concluded that gender had no influence on environmental knowledge of respondents. Respondents were exposed to attitudinal questions which were analysed using Chi-square. The chi-square values obtained were 18.452, 8.755, 8.838, 87.718 and 55.517. More than half of the chi-square values obtained were above 9.488, the chi-square value at p≥0.05. The study concluded that participating in environmental clubs had influence on environmental attitudes of the respondents. The chi-square results obtained when respondents were categorised by gender were 0.071, 10.542, 3.197, 4.125 and 9.077of which four values obtained were below Chi-square value at p≥0.05. The study concluded that gender had no influence on environmental attitude of respondents. Club affiliation was analysed against taking action for environmental protection and the percentages obtained for club members against nonclub members respectively were; 63% against 37%, 56 % against 44%, 52% against 48% and 55% against 45% on the four areas tested. Club members had a higher participation than non-club members. On gender and participation the percentages obtained for boys against girls were; 35% against 65%, 39% against 61%, 37% against 63%, and 53% against 47% leading to a conclusion that girls participated in activities geared towards environmental protection more than boys in the study area. The study concluded that environmental clubs are important tools for environmental awareness creation since they offer interactive teaching pedagogies that enhance active teaching and learning of environmental education concepts obtained from class. The study recommends that environmental education be taught both theoretically in class and practically in the field. This will elevate learners‟ role as informed decision-makers and action-takers in an effort to improve environmental awareness and thereby reducing environmental degradation.