The role of education in promoting sustainable development and environmental awareness among senior secondary school students in Edo State Nigeria

This study assessed the role of education in promoting sustainable development and environmental awareness among senior secondary school students in Edo State. Three (3) research questions guided the study, using the survey research design, A random sample of 240 SSS3 students was purposively selected from twenty (20) different senior secondary schools in Edo South Senatorial District. However, one hundred and sixty (160) copies of the questionnaire were returned, yielding a return rate of 66.7%. The data collection tool was a structured questionnaire consisting of thirty (30) items developed after literature review. The collected questionnaire were analyzed using mean and grand mean to address the research questions. The results indicated that senior secondary school students have a positive perception of the significance of sustainable development and environmental education. Additionally, the findings showed that the lack of textbooks/technology, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient teaching materials, among other factors, affect the effectiveness of environmental education. Furthermore, it was found that environmental education was incorporated in the school curriculum, which reflects current environmental challenges. It was recommended, among other things, that the government should ensure uniform implementation of environmental education content across relevant subjects in all schools.